The Telepath
by l0litapop
Summary: Rin Yamamoto is Mystic High royalty, but she has some strange abilities. Klaus offers her some answers and changes her life forever. Klaus/OC/Damon *COMPLETE*
1. Rin Yamamoto

**Part One: Rin Yamamoto**

Rin Yamamoto sat on her bed, meticulously examining her face in a black compact mirror. It was seven AM, and she was ready for school too early. Having not slept a wink last night, she'd eventually gotten sick of attempting to rest and gotten out of bed at six to shower. Now she didn't have to leave for forty-five minutes for her third day of senior year at Mystic Falls High and had nothing to do but pour over her appearance.

Snapping the mirror shut, she stood to view her full reflection in her full length mirror. She wore a green wrap top and black skinny jeans with a matte, leathery finish. Black leather ankle boots with three-inch heels completed her look. Despite the layers in her waist-length, jet-black hair, it was straightened to lay more or less flat, her side-bangs neatly pushed out of her face. Her eye makeup was carefully applied – liquid liner tapering to pointed wing tips beneath an exaggerated, heavy layer of mascara. She touched up her rose-hued lip stain and sighed, never quite satisfied with her appearance. It was safe to say that Rin was vain. Very, very vain.

After twenty more minutes of hovering around her room, unable to decide whether or not she wanted to change, she wandered into her kitchenette, opened the fridge, and delicately extracted a slice of Swiss cheese from the bag. She chewed it slowly, savoring the first half of her breakfast. When it was gone, she grabbed a strawberry from the counter and ate that as well, taking tiny bits and then throwing out the leaf. It was just about time to leave. She locked her apartment door behind her, went down the stairs, exited her building and got into her black Toyota Supra to drive to school.

Pulling into her parking space, perfectly on schedule, she got out of her car. Like clockwork, a bright blue Camaro pulled into the space next to hers. An impeccably dressed blonde got out of the car and walked towards her. "Sick of school yet?" she asked, pulling her hair over one shoulder.

"Not yet, Breeze," she replied with a flawlessly calculated smirk. Breezy French had been her best friend for the majority of high school. They were an excellent team – Breezy was the blonde bombshell who acted as a social liaison for the duo; Rin was the dignified and stoic genius behind the operation. Together, they had stolen more boyfriends, gatecrashed more concerts, and won entry into more twenty-one-up clubs than anyone else in school. They were notorious and untouchable.

But Rin had a secret.

"Well it's only day three. And _I'm _sick of school." The two of them marched into the building and went straight to their homeroom class just as the bell was ringing to announce the beginning of the lesson.

"Seats, guys!" said the twenty-something history teacher. He was new, and felt the need to treat the seniors like fourth graders. There was a strict seating chart policy in the class. Rin took her seat in the back next to Caroline Forbes, head planner of every school event ever to exist. She offered a small grin as a greeting, which Rin returned.

"Hey, Rin," Caroline whispered, leaning close to the girl. Caroline had always piqued Rin's interest since she was always somehow connected to the bizarre rumors that always seemed to hang around town – strange stories involving animal attacks and sometimes suspicions of supernatural activity. This was probably because she was the sheriff's daughter, and rumored to know more than she let on about the various 'situations' that routinely arose. She spoke quickly and discreetly. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but me and my friends realized there have been no good parties yet to kick off our senior year, so I'm having a little something at Tyler's place this weekend. You'll come, right? Bring your friends?"

Rin glanced at her, tucking her hair behind her ear so she could see her. "Sure, Breezy and I will be there," she replied in as low a tone as she could muster – the teacher seemed to have noticed the girls were talking.

"Something you'd like to share, girls?" he asked, still in fourth-grade-teacher mode. Rin met his eyes and offered her trademark grin – an unnerving smile, the sort of smile that made everyone wonder what she was up to.

"Nothing at all, Mr. Fairbanks," she said evenly. The teacher nodded and continued his lecture, satisfied. But Caroline wasn't done.

"Sorry about that. But Rin? Seniors only. So… in case you know underclassmen or something – they're gonna have to sit this one out."

Rin smiled again, this one not quite reaching her eyes. She was not in the habit of offering an excessive amount of warmth to anyone.

"Of course. Sounds fun. BYOB?"

"Nope. We've got it covered. Most people are gonna pay five at the door but I'll put you and Breezy on the guest list. Call it perks of being legendary – I've read some absolute _gold_ about you guys on the Mystic High Confessions page."

Rin only widened her smile slightly in return and went back to doodling in her textbook. After having been responsible for a string of school pranks last year as well as multiple photos of the girls at Provocateur, a club in New York City, with no less than James Franco himself, circulated around the internet, Rin and Breezy had attained a whole new level of notoriety. As a result, there had been numerous anonymous confessions on the Mystic Falls High Confession page on Facebook about the girls. The small town didn't have a lot of exposure to the fast life, and Rin and Breezy sought it out like no one else.

That night, Rin lay awake in bed once again. This was the third night she anticipated having no sleep at all. Giving up on sleeping, she got out of bed. Pulling a silk robe around her chemise, she donned her slippers and went outside for a cigarette. The balcony overlooked a small pond behind the apartment building, but she preferred to stand at its edge, maybe dip her feet in for a while. Rin savored the summer heat.

She lit up and took a deep drag off her cigarette, a Marlboro 27 Blend. It was the only kind she could bring herself to smoke – nothing else tasted the same. Except, perhaps, Turkish Royals. The water looked enticing under the sparkling summer sky. _I wonder…_

As she finished off her square over the next three minutes, she glanced around. No one was awake. All the lights in the apartment building were off, and there was no one on the grounds. Dropping her cigarette butt in the grass, she shrugged off her robe and chemise, letting them fall to the ground around her feet. She was only her in her black cotton underwear now, and she took a step away from her clothing and dipped a toe into the water. It was warm, as expected. She continued wading in until she was submerged up to her neck. Her hair floated around her, forming a pool of solid black on the glistening water. Holding her breath, she dipped her whole head underwater with her eyes wide open. What she saw, however, she never could have expected.

It was a man, no more than ten feet in front of her. He had brown, slightly curled hair and an angular face with the slightest brush of facial hair. He was wearing only a pair of black jeans, and had a tattoo of birds flying off a feather on his left shoulder, in stark contrast to his pale skin. But she noticed his eyes first – they were shockingly blue and fixed on her. _How long has he been underwater?! _she wondered frantically, pushing her head through the surface to gasp out of breathlessness and shock. With the quick movements of a practiced swimmer, she rushed out of the pond and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around her as quickly as she could. The air was still warm but she shivered – had she been seeing things? Should she say something? _He must still be under the water… but how?_ Still frantic, she extracted another cigarette from the pack in her pocket and lit it, backing away slowly from the pond. She maintained her composure but she was sure her heart was beating hard enough to break through her chest.

She glanced up at the stars momentarily, still unsure of what to do. When she looked back down, he was there. In front of her.

"Rin Yamamoto," he said. There was a clear English accent to his voice – the way he pronounced her Japanese name sounded unusual, almost forced. "I'd like to speak with you." Though her eyes widened slightly, Rin was careful not to seem surprised or scared even though he had miraculously snuck up on her without her even noticing him getting out of the water. She took a drag off her cigarette, refusing to take a step backwards or stutter despite his uncomfortably close proximity to her. After slowly exhaling the smoke toward the ground, she spoke.

"You couldn't just knock on my door?" she asked evenly, maintaining eye contact. This wasn't the first unusual guy she'd met and she wasn't going to let him get to her, despite his impressive stealth.

"I couldn't get into the building, of course," he replied, offering too wide a smile. It was the kind of smile that said, "I know something you don't know." Or, "I know many, many things you don't know."

"You could have asked the doorman," Rin replied, taking another drag off her cigarette, unfazed by his exaggerated grin. "Who are you?" At her inquiry, the man smiled even more.

"Niklaus Mikaelson. You can call me Klaus," he said offering his hand for a shake. Rin ignored it.

"Alright, Klaus, why the nighttime ambush? Can I help you?" Klaus retracted his hand, unperturbed by her lack of interest in his courtesy.

"In fact, you can." He paused. Rin noticed there was something maniacal in his eyes that glinted despite the darkness around them. "Tell me about your powers." At this, Rin was again shocked. She showed no physical indication of this, but her heartbeat began to race once more. How could he know about that? How could anyone know about that?

"You mean my infallible ability to escape the clutches of nosy stalkers? I can tell you all about that. In fact, I can show you." With that, she scooped her chemise and slippers off the grass with one hand and turned around, taking another drag off her cigarettes. Klaus only grinned again, acutely aware that he could see the outline of her body through her sheer silk robe. She was thin – very thin, with only the slightest hint of curves. She'd lost weight since the last time they met. Using his vampiric speed to catch up to her would be a little to suspect, so he walked quickly after her.

"That's actually not the one I was referring to," he said, an edge to his voice now. He grabbed her arm roughly and spun her around. "I want information about your _powers_. The ones of the supernatural variety. The ones you have tried so desperately to cover up." Obviously, there was no denying it – whoever this man was, he knew what she could do.

"How did you find out?" she asked, still maintaining her even tone.

"Did you forget about that little incident outside Provocateur last year?" he asked, his cat-like grin returning. Rin drew in a long breath, annoyed. The one time she had slipped up. She thought no one had seen that.

"Of course. Have you been following me for that long?"

"No, just happened to be in the area back then."

"Naturally. So I guess you managed to see somehow. Well, I'm not in the habit of sharing my personal life with strangers, so you're going to have to let me go," she said, refusing to struggle. She was going to wait for him to release her – these types of psychos loved feeling like they had control.

_One year ago, outside Provocateur_

Klaus waited in the shadow of the building for someone to wander outside. He was hungry, and New York was the place to hunt when one was looking for an easy catch. He missed the thrill – the blood bags in Mystic Falls simply couldn't hold him over for more than a few weeks. Before long, a woman walked out of the back exit and extracted her smartphone from her clutch handbag. She was beautiful – long, black hair and a dress that clung to her thin frame without revealing too much. She walked easily in her five-inch heels as she began dialing a number on her phone, giving off an air of sultry, yet refined dignity that he had only seen previously in the likes of Katherine Pierce. She would be perfect prey for the night.

But before Klaus could act, another human stepped out of the building. He, too, was well-dressed, in a flawlessly tailored suit. However, he walked fast toward the girl, almost urgently. Before she could complete the call, he grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her against the wall of the club, placing her other hand on her mouth. Klaus could hear him whisper with his extra-sensitive hearing – he told the woman not to scream, and called her a tease. Before he could reach for the hem of her dress, however, something strange happened.

There was a flash of dull, purple light – Klaus recognized it as blacklight as everything seemed to glow – and the man was on his knees. The woman was towering over him, having suddenly gained several inches. Her shoes and dress were gone, and her hair glistened, now stark white against the darkness of the alley. She was wrapped in a black shroud of some sort and said nothing. She only stared at the man, who was still as a statue. But Klaus knew pain when he saw it. He was in indescribable pain, judging by the look of utter shock and defeat on his face. The whole scene was surreal. He couldn't find his voice or move. The woman simply lifted her hand towards the cowering man and he slumped over, unconscious. It took only a few moments, and suddenly, in another burst of blacklight, it was as if it had never happened. The girl was back to normal – black hair, sexy sheath, and stilettos all in place.

He was shocked. What was she? A witch? No, witches didn't transform when they used their powers. He had never seen anything like it before, and he was intrigued. She was certainly not going to be his dinner tonight – he had to know what she was capable of. She glanced around the alley and started walking quickly towards where Klaus was hiding.

He walked out of his shadow and before she could react, he met her eyes and compelled her. "You won't remember my asking you this." She nodded, mesmerized. "Who are you?"

"Rin Yamamoto," she said in a dull monotone.

"What are you?"

"I'm a human," she replied, again monotonously.

"Then how did you transform just now and attack that man?" asked Klaus, even more intrigued. She couldn't lie under his compulsion – so she _was_ human.

"I have no idea," she said. Klaus cocked his head, curious, but dropped the compulsion. She didn't know any more about her abilities, then, other than the fact that she could use them. He walked away quickly, not wanting her to remember his face now that she was no longer compelled. She walked away as well, in the opposite direction, to call her friend Breezy and tell her she wanted to go home. The guy she had just attacked had been following her all night and she was tired of it.

Klaus bent near his body after she turned the corner onto the street. He was still alive. Quickly ripping into his neck and drinking, he tossed the man aside after he was full. His mind went back to the strange girl. Rin Yamamoto. He would remember that – her powers may one day be useful to him.

_Present day_

"I can offer you information," said Klaus, knowing this would at least pique her interest. "I can answer your questions about your… abilities." Rin narrowed her eyes, unable to detect any hint of a lie in the man's voice. But he was still holding onto her arm, and too tightly at that.

"Well, release my arm before you accidentally amputate it and we can talk," she said, letting a hint of annoyance into her voice. She didn't like being caught off-guard, and so far Klaus had managed to do just that a total of four times within the last five minutes. Klaus grinned and let go.

"Shall we go inside?" Rin turned around and began walking, assuming he would follow.

"If you try anything stupid, you know what I'm capable of." She led him upstairs and unlocked her door before walking in. She didn't notice that Klaus was still waiting outside.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked. There was something in his tone that Rin couldn't quite place – almost as if he was asking for more than just entrance into her home this one time. She turned around and stared at him, remembering Anne Rice novels she read in middle school – vampires always had to be invited in. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she sighed.

"Come in," she said simply before wandering into her closet to change. She was still dripping wet from the pond and wanted dry underwear. After pulling on more black panties and changing into another black bra, she slipped into new sleepwear as well – a slightly more opaque, deep green chemise – and walked back out into the living room where Klaus was waiting. His quick glance down to her short hem did not go unnoticed, and Rin rolled her eyes. "Try not to gawk. It's not very becoming," she said as she poured herself a glass of water. _Vervain-laced_, thought Klaus. Rin took a seat on one of the barstools by the counter and crossed her legs as she sipped.

"I'll gawk at whatever I like. But that's not why I'm here. I'm going to cut to the chase, and if you don't believe me it's your own loss. I'm a supernatural being, and I suspect you are too. I'm a half-vampire, half-werewolf hybrid, and one of the oldest, most powerful beings on Earth. And you're probably some kind of telepath," he said quickly, waiting for her reaction. Rin only stared at him, slowly taking another long sip of her water. She liked to delay her reactions when people told her things they expected would shock her. Her mind jumped to the animal attacks and Caroline Forbes. Victims were always bit in the neck. She also thought briefly of how long Klaus managed to stay underwater. Having intimate knowledge of her own strange abilities, she was not in any position to deny the existence of vampires and werewolves.

"I believe it. A telepath, you say?" she asked, cocking a delicately arched brow.

"I see you're smart enough not to attempt to deny it. Though I was quite looking forward to convincing you," replied Klaus, amused.

"Sorry to disappoint. A telepath? You said you'd answer questions," she repeated, more interested in information regarding her own issues than Klaus' alleged vampire-slash-werewolf abilities.

"Yes. And all I'm going to tell you for now is this – talk to Bonnie Bennett at school. She can give you more information. I've got a proposition for you but I don't believe you'd be willing to hear me out until you know more, and she will provide more incentive than I can about why you should listen to me." He drew an index card from his pocket and placed it on the counter. "Essentially, you need me to survive. There's my phone number. Give me a call when you're interested," he said with a quick smile as he ran the back of his hand along her head for a moment. Her hair was softer than silk, and she was glaring at him.

"When did I say you could touch me?" she hissed, and he immediately drew his hand back and stepped away, toward the balcony.

"I'll be in touch," he said cheerfully over his shoulder, opening the doors to the balcony. Without another word, he jumped off the edge. Rin was annoyed, and more shocked than she would prefer. This complete stranger knew too much about her, and apparently about others she went to school with. He had told her to speak with Bonnie, a friend of Caroline's. _Well, no surprise there – that whole group is just surrounded in weirdness,_ she thought, wondering if she should listen to Klaus. One of their friends, Elena Gilbert, had disappeared from school altogether for several months last year. _You need me to survive,_ he'd said. The words echoed in her head. Was she in some kind of danger?

She crawled into bed to lie awake for a while. Her mind was racing. She'd find Bonnie at school – there was something eerily honest about this Klaus guy. And he obviously knew more than she did about her own strange abilities.

This was the third night she was going without sleeping, and her body finally couldn't handle it anymore. She drifted off into a restless slumber. As she tossed and turned, her silver hair became matted and tangled.

When she awoke in the morning, it was jet black once again.


	2. Bonnie

**Part Two: Bonnie**

The next day, Rin had made up her mind. She texted Breezy telling her she had something to take care of so she could have her lunch period sans her sidekick. During the passing period before lunch started, she marched over to where Bonnie sat waiting for her friends in the quad and stood before her.

"I have to talk to you," she started without a greeting. Bonnie looked up, a little startled. Rin had never really spoken to her before, and she had a feeling Rin wanted to talk about something more important than just that week's math homework.

"About what?" she replied, focusing intently on Rin.

"Klaus." There was a heavy silence between them for a moment.

"What do you know about Klaus?" asked Bonnie, narrowing her eyes slightly. Was Rin under some kind of compulsion? Was Klaus trying to communicate through her or something? Why would he do that?

"Nothing more than the fact that he visited me last night and he's a half-vampire, half-werewolf hybrid. And he told me to talk to you," said Rin casually as she took a seat in the grass. "Will your friends be joining us?" she asked. Bonnie didn't think she was compelled – she wasn't doing anything too strange yet. She picked up her phone and fired off a few messages.

"No, I just told them I'm having lunch alone. He _told_ you those things?" she asked incredulously. "Are you… supernatural?" She whispered the last word, glancing around. No one was close enough or quiet enough to be listening, but her friends were vampires – they would be able to hear her conversation if they were around.

"I don't know if I am. I'm definitely human, but he told me to ask you about some… things… I can do." Rin wasn't sure how to approach this topic. She had never told anyone what she was capable of, not even her parents before she moved out.

"What kind of things?" asked Bonnie, still completely unsure. She'd studied up on a lot of cases of humans possessing supernatural abilities but not quite capable of magic, like a witch, but she never would have guessed that Rin Yamamoto was one of those strange cases.

"When I'm threatened my appearance changes and I can will my enemies to feel pain," said Rin quickly, wondering if Bonnie would even take her seriously. The absolute last thing she wanted was to be a laughingstock. "Klaus told me you would give me answers."

Bonnie looked away, wondering if Rin was aware of her powers, too. Did anyone at school outside her circle of friends know she was a witch? She was pretty sure the answer was no. And she didn't want to risk telling Rin the complete truth until she'd spoken with Elena, Caroline, and the Salvatores.

"Well, I've done a ton of research on supernatural abilities. From what you're telling me, it sounds like some weird form of telepathic communication. Maybe you can communicate sensory information." She paused, thinking. "How do you feel, physically, after you… hurt someone?" From what Bonnie could tell, her powers seemed either incredibly dangerous or horribly unrefined. Rin hesitated a bit before replying – she was surely ruining her reputation by speaking with this girl.

"Stronger. Lighter on my feet. What does that have to do with it?" Bonnie tried to conceal her shock. This was definitely dangerous. She stood up abruptly.

"I think I'll have to ask around about this before we talk again. I have some... connections, I guess. Let's trade numbers. I'll let you know if we can meet up after school. Are you free?" Rin nodded slowly. Bonnie seemed restless all of sudden, but she was still interested

"Yeah, I'm free. Let me know." The girls traded numbers and Bonnie rushed off quickly to find her friends, still glued to her phone. She was texting furiously. Rin wondered what was so urgent, or if she was perhaps contacting someone to ask about her strange powers right away.

The truth was, Rin had always wanted to know what was wrong with her. It started when she was a little girl – she would become frightened when she went out to get the mail in the evening and animals would die on her property. All she had to do was think really hard, "whatever is scaring me must go away," or something along those lines. She would jump when something creaked in the kitchen floor. Once, when she went downstairs for a snack, she was startled by a sound and a massive crack formed in the floorboards. She told her parents she'd dropped a pot from the cabinet when she was climbing onto the counter to reach the glasses. The next day on the way to school, she found three dead rabbits outside the wall on the other side of the crack in the floor.

So from a young age, she learned to keep her cool. She was frosty for a reason – nothing was going to trigger her strange abilities. But that night outside Provocateur, she'd needed them. She'd let go completely then, in the name of self-defense. That was the only time she had intentionally caused someone pain, and she decided she wouldn't do it again. She didn't need supernatural abilities to command people or make them respect her, she would do those things on her own. But having special powers did make her feel safer. Since then, she knew she would never be in danger from another human being again.

But something did bother her – Rin didn't know what happened to that man. He'd assaulted her, but she didn't want to kill him. She didn't want to be responsible for murder. But she'd just walked away. In the moment, she hadn't thought about it. She'd just wanted to get out of there.

Before the school day was out, she got a text from Bonnie. There was an address and a time – 6 PM – and the words, "come over, me + my friends want to talk about your powers." Rin couldn't help but smile a little. Bonnie was smart. She didn't use an absurd amount of chatspeak, and she got things done quickly. Rin could appreciate that.


	3. The Klaus Thing

**Part Three: The Klaus Thing**

At promptly six PM, she stood at the door of the Salvatore brothers' home. It was truly magnificent – much like the house her parents lived in across town. She adjusted her black, Gothic-inspired skirt and white cardigan, and then rang the doorbell. There was an answer within seconds. It was Bonnie.

"Well you're perfectly on time," she said, smiling. She took a step back and gestured for Rin to enter. She stepped inside and the first thing that struck her was the slight scent of booze. The Salvatore brothers apparently liked to drink.

She knew their names – Stefan, who was still a student at Mystic Falls High, and Damon, his allegedly very attractive older brother – but she'd never met either of them formally. Stefan, she would see in passing sometimes at school, but she'd never spoken to him. Apparently, today, she would. Bonnie led Rin into the living room where there was already a small gathering: Caroline, Elena Gilbert, Tyler Lockwood, Stefan, and Damon. She was surprised to see Tyler there, but then it occurred to her – he was dating Caroline. Of course.

They all looked nervous, in a way, and Rin stood beside one of the plush-looking couches.

"Hey, I don't know if we've all met before…" she started, trailing off. Bonnie stepped in immediately.

"Oh! Right, sorry. Rin, you know Caroline, and this is Elena, Tyler, Stefan, and Damon." They all said their 'hello's and nothing more, leaving the talking mostly to Bonnie for now.

"So, obviously you already know that there are supernatural creatures in Mystic Falls. We've all talked about it and—"

"You told your friends?" Rin said coolly, careful not to lose her temper. She didn't want to provide a live demonstration of her freakshow right now, but she was surprised that Bonnie had already told everyone in her group of friends. Perhaps she wasn't as trustworthy as Klaus had led her to believe. Damon stepped in to remedy the awkwardness.

"She told her friends, who consist of absolutely no regular human beings. So trust me, zero judgment zone. 'We're all mad here' and all." Damon offered what seemed like a welcoming smile, but it was clearly laced with some degree of sarcasm.

"No regular human beings?" Rin looked around suspiciously, a little confused. Was this some kind of bizarre roleplay group or something? "What do you mean by that? Are you all like Klaus?"

Something changed in the room after she said that. Tyler, for one, stiffened. Something akin to anger crossed his face.

"You know Klaus? How?" he asked. There was nothing in the world that could make Tyler suspicious of someone like an affiliation with Klaus.

"Yeah, he visited me last night…" For the first time in a long time, Rin was at a loss. And she didn't like it. "Can someone please tell me what's going on here? I just want some answers about myself."

"He visited you? Did you invite him in?" This time, it was Elena, who seemed overly concerned.

"Yeah, I guess vampires really do need to be invited in. The movies got something right." Rin was getting impatient. "What about it?"

"You invited _Klaus_ into your house?!" This was the first time Caroline spoke, and it occurred to Rin how strange it was to be seeing her here – she never saw Caroline outside of school, let alone at what was quickly turning into a group therapy session about her personal issues with Klaus.

"Bonnie, did you know about this?" asked Stefan, almost sounding like a concerned parent. Bonnie took a deep breath.

"Guys, can we worry about all that later? Yeah, I knew. Right now she just wants some answers. We can provide that, and we'll deal with the Klaus thing later." Tyler sighed, and everyone was quiet for a while before Bonnie spoke again. "I did some more reading, and we decided we all needed to be here to talk to you. It's probably important for us to be on close terms because what you're capable of can quickly become very, very dangerous. Basically… I was right. You're a type of telepath, but you're only able to communicate sensory information. Meaning, you can make people feel physical sensations with very little effort."

"That sounds like a handy trick," said Damon, smirking as he took a swig out of a glass. There appeared to be brandy inside. Everyone gave Damon a look except Caroline, who simply rolled her eyes. So that's where the smell of alcohol came from – Rin suddenly noticed the array of half-empty crystal glasses that littered every surface in the room. Clearly, Damon was a drinker. She smiled curtly at his remark.

"That's what it is?" she asked Bonnie, wanting her to continue. Everyone else remained silent. Her mind was already racing – was she able to control this further? Could she make people feel things other than pain? Maybe temperature? She pushed what Damon had suggested out of her mind, but… that was a possibility too.

"Yeah, but there's kind of a catch. Every time you use your power, you're drawing energy from someone else. That's why you feel better after using it. But where you're at right now, you can't control who you're drawing energy from. Sometimes it's whoever you're acting upon, but… it could also be someone else. Anyone. According to my research, telepaths with powers like yours often accidentally steal energy from the sick, or the young. Those targets are easy. And if you take too much from anyone…" Bonnie looked away, not wanting to say it.

"They die." Rin finished her statement for her, sure of what she would say.

"Yeah. Pretty much. When was the last time you used the telepathy?"

Rin gave a small sigh and told the group about the incident outside Provocateur, leaving out the bit about Klaus, of course – there was no way for her to remember that. The group was confused. This was like nothing they'd seen before. And they'd seen quite a lot.

Bonnie sighed and continued speaking. "I don't know if you killed that man or what, but… there's more you should know about this." Rin stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "According to my reading, in history, telepaths are generally teamed up with vampires. Vampires drink human blood; telepaths feed on human energy. Usually around this age – a telepath's late teens – they start getting weak. You're going to have to start using your powers pretty soon to survive. And you're going to have to learn how to control it so no one dies. Naturally, a vampire can teach you how to do that." Things were beginning to make more sense now.

"So I guess Klaus was offering me some kind of mentorship?" she asked.

"_Klaus_ is the last person you want teaching you self-control," said Tyler suddenly. "Seriously, stay away from him. You don't know him as well as we do, and trust me, we know him very, very well." Rin cocked a brow, surprised at his outburst. Sure, there was something weird about Klaus, but he didn't strike her as particularly dangerous.

"What's wrong with him?" A couple of people in the group laughed, but no one spoke up for a few awkward moments until Elena broke the silence.

"He's killed thousands and thousands of people. Literally more than you can imagine. He sired Tyler and turned him into a hybrid, and he hunted me for my blood since he needed it to create more hybrids. He's power-hungry and heartless, and basically turned Stefan into a slave when he had his emotions switched off." Rin thought about this for a second before responding.

"What do you mean by having his emotions switched off?" she asked.

"Vampires can do that. We can just turn off feeling when we don't want it anymore," said Stefan, offering his two cents.

"So… you're all..." Rin didn't really know how to continue. She felt silly asking a group of people if they were all vampires.

"We're all vampires except Tyler, who's a hybrid, and Bonnie, who's a witch," said Elena again, taking on the task of supernatural introductions. Despite having accepted the existence of supernatural beings yesterday, Rin was still a little surprised at having come upon a group of vampires, a hybrid, and a witch. It was a little strange to adjust to.

"…Got it. So now what? I'm supposed to just not get back to Klaus? He left me his phone number."

"Yeah, I'd say stay away from him," said Caroline.

"He's obviously up to something, and I don't think it entails really teaching you how to control your abilities. I'd be surprised if that was really what he was after here," said Damon. "You'd be better off with any of us over here."

"Except Damon, who has no self-control either," said Stefan. Damon rolled his eyes.

Rin abruptly got up.

"I'll have to think about it," she said quickly, tossing her inky black hair over her shoulder. She gathered up her purse and smoothed out her skirt again before turning on her heel and making her way to the door.

"We better hear from you again!" said Damon, taking another sip of his drink.

"Maybe," said Rin evenly in reply. Though Bonnie got up after her to get the door, Rin saw herself out.

"Well, she's frosty," said Damon, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I'll make sure she gets back to us," said Bonnie, sensing that something was off. It seemed like Rin was going to get back to Klaus, but she wasn't sure why.


	4. Expertise and Self-Control

**AN: Hey everyone! Thank you to anyone who reviewed! I realize I'm being pretty quick with revealing her powers but I want to move the story along. Sorry about the lack of ANs in the last couple of chapters as well; I keep forgetting to write them! Anyway, Klaus is finally going to get a little more… trademark Klaus-y in this chapter. Please rate and review more! I love feedback (:**

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**Part Four: Expertise and Self-Control**

When Rin got back to her apartment, she peeled off her cardigan, camisole and skirt and collapsed on the couch. It was still ridiculously hot outside and she'd been itching to strip down. Curled up on the couch, she could have fallen asleep. Her eyes fell shut and she sighed, wishing she could fall asleep right there. But she had homework, so this was going to have to be a quick rest. She never let people see her like this – just vegetating about her apartment – because she liked to maintain her aloof persona, but right now, she was tired. Meeting a group of supernatural beings and being told she needed a vampire mentor was exhausting, for whatever reason

"You must be very tired," said a voice. A distinctly English voice. Klaus. _What the hell_? Rin bolted off the couch with a little too much surprise for her own taste and cleared her throat.

"_What _are you doing?" she demanded as she pulled her skirt back on as gracefully as she could. "And are you going to make it a habit to sneak up on me when I'm less than fully clothed?"

"I'm asking you a question. Trying to draw attention to the fact that you're exhausted for no reason," Klaus flashed that smile again, the one that implied he knew more than he was letting on. "So you're going to have to use your powers again soon. As usual, I have impeccable timing,"

"So you are making a habit of catching me half-dressed. How about you turn around, Klaus? Before I have you forcefully removed from my apartment."

"I believe you'd have a hard time doing that, human girl, but I'll humor you." Klaus turned around with a self-satisfied smile and crossed his arms, waiting for her to pull her camisole back over her head. She even went to the length of putting her cardigan back on, though she left it unbuttoned. There was at least air conditioning in the room, at least, so she wasn't too warm, but she'd been quite comfortable cooling down before Klaus broke in. This was going to have to stop.

"How did you get in?" she demanded. "You can turn around now." He turned around slowly and met her eyes.

"Left the sliding doors from the balcony open last night. But trust me, locks won't keep me out. You've invited me in!" He was like a self-absorbed child who was apparently alright with breaking and entering. Rin was losing her patience here, as well.

"That doesn't mean you can come in whenever you want, you idiot. Don't do this again. I heard some interesting things about you from Bonnie and her friends. What the hell do you want?"

Suddenly, Klaus' demeanor darkened. His smile fell and he glared at her, taking a few steps forward. Rin remembered suddenly that he wasn't human, and he was probably capable of killing her, and quickly, maybe before she could tap into her abilities. He was just a hairsbreadth from her now, staring her right in the eye. Rin refused to look away.

"Watch your mouth. You have no idea who you're speaking to, and I wouldn't want you to find out who I am the hard way. Consider it a blessing that you're finding out what I'm capable of through your friends, and not through example. And by the way, there's no need to act like you aren't afraid of me. I can hear your heartrate spike." Klaus' voice had taken on a menacing tone. His warmth was gone, and Rin could tell he was threatening her. However, that wasn't going to stop her from saying something about it. She took a deep breath.

"First of all, those are not my friends. You told me to go to Bonnie. Second of all, I have a feeling you want something from me, so whether or not I'm afraid of you, you probably have some reason to keep me alive. Also, you can have the decency to knock. Otherwise, I won't take you up on whatever mentorship you're offering me. I want to know why I should choose you and not Stefan or Caroline." Klaus backed off a little and sat down on the couch, crossing his right ankle over his left knee.

"Stefan or Caroline. You're really torn between _me_ and _Stefan or Caroline. _Well, I guess it can't be helped. You're new to all this." He paused, sighing. "For one, I'm at least half a century older than them both. And on top of that, I'm an original vampire. I was one of the first vampires ever to exist. Therefore, I'm one of the most powerful vampires alive. The only people who can truly compare to me are my own siblings, the other originals." Rin pondered this.

"So you're powerful. But does that mean you have excellent self-control?" At this, Klaus let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Self-control. That's what the witch told you you're in need of. Well, I'm not interested in teaching you self-control. I'm interested in teaching you how to be as powerful as me." There was another pause in the conversation before Rin replied.

"Why would you want me, a complete stranger, to have as much power as you?" It was an honest question – Elena had told Rin that Klaus was power-hungry. So why would he want someone to have the same amount of power as he?

"Because after you have as much power as me, I need something from you. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. I get what I need; you get what you need, which is knowledge of manipulation of your abilities. We both win."

"Is there a reason why you refuse to tell me what you need before I even agree to this?" asked Rin. Klaus was keeping some kind of secret. She could already tell he was probably every bit as manipulative as Bonnie's friends had said.

"Because you won't understand it, really, until you've gained some level of expertise in supernatural matters. It has to do with a spell, which a witch will cast, and it requires your abilities. So let me help you, and then you can help me. Easy." He was still being vague. But something occurred to Rin – did she have to help him with whatever he wanted? Could she not just back out of her end of the deal if it was too outlandish? It was only fair, since he wasn't telling her the whole truth right now, during his presentation of his offer. She wanted expertise, and power like Klaus had.

But she also wanted self-control. She wanted the security of knowing she wasn't going to do anything dangerous with her powers.

Could she not have both?

"Fine, sounds good to me. When do we start?" she asked casually, hoping he wouldn't ask any more about "_Stefan or Caroline_".

"Soon. This Friday. After the party, when you're tired." Klaus was all smiles now, and for some reason he wanted her exhausted. "Try not to slaughter anyone before I'm around," he finished before stepping off the balcony once more.

There was something ominous about that – try not to slaughter anyone _before I'm around_. Rin pushed the thought out of her mind and waited until she was sure Klaus was out of earshot. Then she called up Bonnie.

"Hello?" answered the witch.

"Hi. I want to start training with you guys. Who's available?"

"Oh! Wow, great. For a second there I thought you were going to hit up Klaus or something. But sure, um let me find out who's interested… Hold on." Rin was put on hold for about a minute before Bonnie came back. "Um… it looks like everyone is really busy these next couple weeks since Caroline and Elena are doing school stuff and Stefan is working on personal issues… But Damon is willing to try his hand at it, are you okay with that?" Rin cocked a brow.

"I thought he wasn't exactly the master of self-control?" she asked. Rin wanted a good mentor, not someone who wouldn't take it seriously.

"Oh, we were joking around. He's got a bit of a reputation but he's more level-headed than he comes across as."

"I see. Well, that's fine then. I guess I'm free next week whenever," said Rin.

"Sounds great! I'll get Damon your number and he'll contact you." Rin could hear Bonnie's smile in her voice.

"Thanks Bonnie. I appreciate all your help," said Rin as sweetly as she could muster. She was already lying to her new friends. Oh well, it had to be done.

"No problem. Seeya, Rin." Bonnie hung up the phone and called out to Damon. "Just spoke kindly of you to make you look better, Damon. You owe me one." Damon shouted out his reply from the liquor cabinet in the kitchen.

"I don't owe you anything, Bonnie, you were telling the damn truth!" said Damon. "And besides, you just volunteered me for something I had to step up to since no one was around."

"Hooray, your daily good deed, Witch." Damon kicked back on the couch with his bottle and turned on the TV. He was going to enjoy this. The girl had some serious potential, and this was the first telepath he'd come across in all his years on Earth. There was rarity associated with Rin, and it was almost like a novelty to be able to be her vampire mentor. He soon let his mind wander to a documentary about the potential existence of mermaids and zoned out.


	5. Questionable Activities

**AN: Hey everyone! Wow, Part 5 already and I just started writing this story two days ago. Well, it's starting off pretty slow. Anyway, please R/R! I promise it'll pick up soon! I just like to have some background before things get heated. (:**

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**Part Five: Questionable Activities**

Rin and Breezy arrived at Tyler Lockwood's house late, around eleven thirty. The door was open and they let themselves in. Breezy gave a little wave to Rin and wandered into the kitchen – she was looking for someone, but Rin hadn't asked who when she'd mentioned they were going to have to split ways when they got there. They'd catch up later. Rin caught her reflection in the giant mirror in the foyer. She wore a lace-covered pink and black corset and the same tight black skinny jeans with the leather finish that she wore the other day at school. She looked good, and she knew it.

Though she wasn't a big drinker, Rin had another guilty pleasure – weed. And she knew exactly where to find it. Somewhere around here there was going to be a stoner cave, and it would be full of guys who were willing to share. Between the two of them, Breezy had developed the reputation of being into dancing and alcohol, whereas Rin was more into listening and smoking.

Before long, she had located the tokers' venue of choice for the night, one of the upstairs bathrooms. She invited herself in and smiled hello to some familiar faces and greeted new ones. She'd been accepted into their ranks despite her reputation as one of Mystic Falls High's more social-savvy individuals. Weed brought people together.

It occurred to Rin that two of the people in the group were connected to Bonnie's friends: Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's younger brother, and Matt Donovan, her ex-boyfriend. They'd always been in her group, but now they were connected to her in a new way. She wondered if Jeremy was aware his sister was a vampire. How could he not be?

"Rin, you okay?" Jeremy asked suddenly. "You're next." Rin glanced to her right and took the glass piece from the boy next to her.

"Yeah, just spacing out," she said as she glanced at him through her eyelashes. She took a giant, slow hit off the piece and passed it to Matt, who was to her left. She felt the THC working on her brain and slowly became more and more relaxed. Weed was a cure-all. She'd been careful to use her eye drops beforehand as well, so her eyes wouldn't get red or puffy and ruin her makeup. Everything was perfect, for the time being. Then Jeremy spoke up again.

"So, heard you hung out with my sister and her friends like two days ago. I didn't know you guys knew each other," he said casually. She could tell he wasn't trying to imply anything by it; he was only making conversation. But she was a little paranoid, considering that's one of the many side effects of smoking, and wasn't sure if he knew she was aware of his sister's immortality.

"Yeah, well, we just met. I was actually talking to Bonnie earlier and she invited me over," she replied. It was an honest answer.

"I heard. So you probably met Damon and Stefan and everyone too, right?" the other guys in the room and one girl who seemed to be slinking away in the corner just listened to them as they continued passing the piece. Rin took another hit when it was her turn and gave it to Matt again. Rotation was a wonderful thing.

"Yeah. They have a lovely house," she said, trying to steer the conversation away from the people involved in the situation and more towards less complicated things. Jeremy laughed a little.

"Yeah, they do. They definitely do. But I gotta tell you, Elena told me you met Klaus. That he visited you at home. As a friend, I should let you know… You should stay away from him. Klaus is just bad news, no matter what." Ah, so that was his angle. Jeremy was just concerned about her. Well, Klaus was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Don't worry. I can handle Klaus. I don't think he's as crazy as he seems, but I'm taking Bonnie's advice. I'll stay away from him." Rin mustered up a sugary smile for the sake of being convincing.

"Okay, I'm glad. I just don't want him to screw you over like he's done to so many of us. He's got some serious issues he needs to sort out," replied Jeremy with a little laugh. He was getting giddy from the weed.

"Yeah, I bet. Well, I guess I'll never know for sure. That's probably a good thing." Rin was suddenly speaking more than usual – another hallmark of being stoned. Either this was good weed, or her tolerance was suddenly through the floor, since she was feeling much higher than normal. She took a seat on the floor, leaning her head against the wall.

"Whoa, Rin, you done already?" asked Matt incredulously. "What happened to Aqualungs?" Rin laughed a little too much in reply.

"No, not done, just taking a break for a minute. Or maybe I'm done. I have no idea but I'm kinda feeling like… really baked already," she said with an uncharacteristic giggle. Even when she was stoned, Rin never giggled. The others in the room exchanged a look – she was acting pretty strange, even for being high.

"Alright, don't hurt yourself I guess," said Matt, laughing at her a little. She passed on her turn in the rotation and Matt took her hit, then passed the piece back around. This time, when it got to her again, she didn't pass up her hit. She took a few more as she quietly laughed to herself and listened to the boys talking about something she couldn't quite follow. She was suddenly very, very tired, but relaxed. Someone was re-packing the bowl but she decided she'd had enough for now. Maybe she'd stop by later. She stood up shakily and spoke.

"I think I'm gonna head out guys. Maybe go find Breezy or something," she mumbled as she teetered a little into the door. Matt caught her arm.

"You sure you don't wanna wait it out in here for a while?" he asked. She could see that he was worried about her. Out of all the people she knew, stoners always expressed the most concern about her well-being. "You seem pretty out of it."

"Nah, I'm good. Just stoned off my ass. But that's okay. I'm good," said Rin with a lazy grin. She was so unlike herself when she was high. It was nice, though. The only people who really saw that were her stoner friends. As soon as she stepped outside she knew she'd be able to at least act normal.

"Alright, well you have my number if you need anything. Let me know," said Matt kindly. "Hurry," he added, implying the door shouldn't stay open too long. The smoke might escape, and Matt knew how Mrs. Lockwood responded to smoking in the house. She would tolerate alcohol as long as it was kept quiet, but she had a problem with weed. Some people had their priorities all wrong.

Rin nodded and opened the door quickly before closing it behind her with the same speed. There were some people on the landing but no one seemed to notice her coming out of the bathroom. She wandered around for a while before running into Bonnie, who was sitting on the stairs with someone she didn't recognize.

"Rin! Hey, good to see you. What's up?" she asked. Rin forced herself to maintain eye contact and offered a slightly too-wide smile, at least for her.

"Not much, just got here a little while ago." She managed to speak without getting too warm or animated.

"You smell a little like pot. I didn't know you knew Matt and Jeremy," said Bonnie with a smile. Rin laughed quietly at the connection but didn't look away.

"We've known each other for a while, actually. Just good acquaintances, really."

"Well, you do an excellent job acting sober. Don't tell Elena you were smoking with Jeremy; she'll get pissed," warned Bonnie.

"I won't, don't worry. I'm gonna go look for Breezy," said Rin quickly. She waved her goodbye and started down the stairs and walked down a narrow hallway. The music sounded a little subdued to her, as if she were falling asleep already. It made sense, since she hadn't slept in a few days.

"I wasn't aware that you partook in such questionable activities," said a voice from the alcove she had just passed by as a hand wrapped around her arm. Of course, Klaus was everywhere. He really had to quit this sneaking-up-on-her business.

"Why would Tyler Lockwood invite you in here?" She asked in response.

"Because he does whatever I tell him to. You must be getting exhausted; you're really in no condition to be harming your body right now," he said with a small, knowing grin.

"Please, smoking weed is hardly harming my body. Did you know it has anti-tumor properties?" said Rin, glaring at him. Between drinking and smoking weed, weed was definitely the lesser of two evils.

"I mean being high is going to wear you out. You're only making your training tonight more difficult. Not that it's any concern of mine how much trouble you choose to put yourself through." Rin squirmed into the tiny alcove with Klaus, eyes wide.

"Why are we hiding?" she asked childishly. Klaus was too uptight. Sure, she was tired, but right now she just wanted to have a good time, not think about her strange powers and the deal she apparently made with the devil. He raised a brow at her.

"Because Elena and her little friends are going to be very annoyed if they find me here, and for now I'm not being dramatic. The time for that comes too," he said evenly, looking her in the eye. "You're very intoxicated."

"Yes… Yes I am," she replied slowly.

"Can you use your powers while you're intoxicated?" asked Klaus.

"Can vampires even get high?" she said, ignoring his question.

"Not very. It would take a lot of weed. Damon smokes, I believe. But I'd prefer you didn't speak with him more than necessary. Or any of his friends."

"Got it. Well, I'll be seeing you, then," said Rin, shuffling around to leave the alcove. Klaus grabbed her arm again.

"You didn't answer my question. Can you use your powers while you're high?" He was getting impatient again, and it annoyed Rin.

"I don't know, Klaus. I've never tried and I've never had to try. I'm gonna go now," she said as she rolled her eyes. Klaus was far too serious. She wouldn't have really thought so if she was sober, but right now she was far from sober.

Soon enough, Rin found herself wandering up the stairs again. She was exhausted. She could find Breezy later, but right now she just wanted to rest. She found a bedroom and collapsed on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.


	6. Sleeping Beauty

**AN: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the views so far. (:**

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**Part Six: Sleeping Beauty**

"Where is she? The guest bedroom?"

"No, mine. Up the stairs and to the right."

Damon and Tyler's voices echoed through the foyer. It was nearly five AM and most of the guests had left. The only ones who remained were passed out on the couches in the living room, study, and basement, except for Rin – she was passed out on Tyler's bed. He'd walked into her room and seen a silver-haired girl sleeping and upon closer inspection realized it was Rin, but with her hair color changed. _She must have dyed it_, he thought absently before seeking out Damon to take her home. Damon was the only one of the vampires except Caroline who was still at the Lockwood household.

"So why can't we just leave here there again?" asked Damon.

"Because I want to go to bed, Damon._ Caroline and I_ want some rest," he said pointedly. He was getting impatient. Rin had been passed out on his bed for hours. It was very unlike her to pass out at a party, this was the first time she'd really done it. Breezy had come up to him and asked if he'd seen her earlier in the night and told him to let her know she was leaving if he found her. Well, Rin had no idea just yet – she was sound asleep.

"What do you want me to do with her?" asked Damon, refusing to budge from his seat on the stairs. He was drinking still, as usual, but was not yet the slightest bit drunk. One of the many disadvantages to being part of the undead: alcohol had very little effect except in ridiculously large quantities.

"For God's sake, Damon. You're the only person here who knows her other than me and Caroline, and Care is staying here. Take her home. Or just let her stay at your place overnight, she won't wake up. The girl she was here left like three hours ago." Damon sighed heavily and stood.

"Alright, hero time. Gonna go take my precious human protégé home to safety," he said as he set his glass on the stairs. He made his way upstairs to Tyler's room and walked inside, stopping for a moment to take in her appearance. Apparently, she transformed while she was sleeping as well. Her hair was a pale shade of silver, in stark contrast to her tawny skin. He stepped toward her and shook her, in a futile attempt to wake her up. _Her home or mine?_ he wondered. He could hear her slow, steady heartbeat as she slept. It crossed his mind that he could drink from her now and no one would know, as long as he compelled her to cover the marks. He felt his fangs protruding vulgarly from his gums as the veins beneath his eyes became visible. There was no one here.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed back the temptation and sighed again. He was supposed to be teaching her self-control; the least he could do was exercise a little bit of it himself. He'd already fed on some of the guests tonight, so it wasn't as if he was starving. Just greedy.

Trying to avoid anything overly indecent, he picked up the silver-haired girl, tossed her over his shoulder, and went back downstairs. With his free hand, he picked up his glass as he stepped into the foyer. "I'll head home and leave you two to your fun, then," he said to Tyler and Caroline with a sarcastic grin.

"Whoa, her hair," said Tyler.

"Yeah, I'm guessing she dyed it," replied Damon casually.

"No, it was black earlier tonight," said Tyler, raising a brow. "That's a little freaky." Damon pondered this for a moment and shrugged.

"Must be a telepath thing," he said, brushing off the change in appearance. "She did say she looks different when she eats life energy. Maybe she looks different when she sleeps, too," said Damon. "I'll leave you two to your fun, then." Tyler nodded his goodbye. By the time Damon had his hand on the doorknob, the Caroline and Tyler were already kissing furiously.

Damon put Rin in the backseat so she should continue sleeping and took his place in the driver's seat. Before they were a mile away from Tyler's, she had awoken.

Her heart dropped. She'd fallen asleep at the party. What time was it? Where was she? _Whose car is this?_ she wondered, terrified that she was being kidnapped. She realized she wasn't restrained at all and sat up abruptly.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded from the mystery driver. "Who are you?" Damon spoke over his shoulder.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty has awoken. Drink too much or something? I'm Damon. We met earlier this week. I'm taking you wherever you want, now that you're awake. Your apartment, or would you like to stay the night at my place?" Or we can go wherever else you please, Princess," he said, his voice sickeningly sarcastic. Rin's stomach flipped – she was supposed to meet Klaus. But he'd never specified where. He'd been at the party, though. Maybe he was keeping an eye on her or something. She cleared her throat.

"Take me home. To my apartment. It's across town," she said quickly. She shuddered to think of what she might look like right now and tried to catch a glimpse of her reflection in the rearview mirror. Damon noticed what she was doing.

"Well, then. No thank you. I see how it is. You know, you passed out at a party. No reason to freak out over your hair right now. Which, by the way, is black again."

Rin raised a brow. She was wide awake now.

"Black again? What do you mean?"

"When you're sleeping your hair turns silver. You didn't know?" Damon frowned, pondering this. She really didn't know what her powers did to her at all.

"No, I had no idea. How many people saw me sleeping?" She couldn't help but think that silver hair would never suit her.

"No one but me and Tyler. You shut the door behind you and no one else went into Tyler's room, where you were sleeping. He found you after most people had left. What happened, anyway?" Rin cleared her throat again and wiped at the black makeup that had smudged under her eyes.

"Nothing, just had a bit too much to smoke, I think."

"Ah, so you know Matt and Jeremy already," replied Damon, laughing a little.

"Wow, Bonnie said the same thing when she smelled weed on me. I guess they really are your resident tokers," she said, amused. "I've known them for a while. Were you there all night? You could have joined us." She decided she might as well be on friendly terms with her vampire mentor. At least, one of her vampire mentors.

"I would have, but I was a little tied up kicking human ass at pool in the basement and feeding on guests." Damon offered a warm smile which she caught in the rearview – again, his expression was laced with sarcasm. Was he _ever_ serious?

"Wait, you were drinking people's blood there? In front of everyone?"

"God, no. You have to be subtle. Take a girl into the bathroom, a spare bedroom, you know. Get away from the crowd." He said this as if it was a daily thing.

"So you do this often?"

"Well a man's gotta eat," he said casually before pulling into the driveway of her apartment building. "Get some rest, Sleeping Beauty. I'll give you a call tomorrow and let you know when I can show you how not to kill people." She offered him her classic Rin smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'll be waiting," she said simply before exiting the vehicle and rushing into the building. Would Klaus come find her? If he meant to go home with her after the party, it would have blown her cover completely with Bonnie's friends. She sighed in the elevator as it went up to the seventh floor, and she rushed to her door and unlocked it as fast as she could. She had a feeling Klaus would be waiting.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Damon noticed a disturbance in the trees beside the apartment. He frowned a bit and decided to brush it off - it could have been anything and he was not in the mood to investigate. Instead, as he drove away, he found himself thinking about Rin's bizarre hair color change. The silver suited her. Black hair gave off a cold vibe, but as she slept peacefully with silver hair she almost looked like she would wake up as someone who was open and welcoming.

Well, at least getting to know her would present some sort of challenge. Damon needed more challenges in his life. The girls he fed on were never anything more than food, and he was sick of having whatever he wanted in the palm of his hands.


	7. Provocation

**AN: Hey guys! There's finally some Klaus/Rin interaction in this chapter. Finally. I've seriously written seven chapters in two days, my god.**

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**Part Seven: Provocation**

Sure enough, as soon as she turned on the light, Klaus was standing in the kitchen, just a few feet in front of her. It was five AM and the sun was coming up, but she was relatively rested, having just slept for the better part of the night.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so late," said Klaus. There was something different about the way he was acting tonight. His stare was fixed on her, and his expression resembled something akin to quiet rage. Rin's heart rate sped up as she recalled his strength and as Klaus picked up on this, his eyes narrowed. She was afraid. Good.

"I passed out," said Rin slowly, exhibiting no outward signs of her fear. She struggled to breathe at a regular pace and maintained eye contact.

"I see. I had a feeling you might. And Damon drove you home," said Klaus as he took a menacing step forward. It was not a question. He knew.

"No one else was available," replied Rin. She was breathing slightly faster now that he was closer. He was going to kill her. She was shocked – she thought he'd needed something from her. Why would he kill her now? They had a deal. But she would not be brought to apologizing; she'd had no idea when or where they would meet.

"Do you know what you've done, Rin?" asked Klaus. His voice was terrifyingly calm. He didn't look away, and he spoke quietly. Her eyes widened ever so slightly.

"What have I done, Klaus?" she said on an exhale. She was really struggling to maintain her cool. She'd never been alone in her apartment with a crazed killer before. She could see now that Bonnie and her friends were absolutely right when they'd told her Klaus was insane. He was vastly powerful and overwhelmingly dangerous.

"You've made me wait," he said in the same icy tone. Rin opened her mouth to speak but lost the chance. Faster than she'd ever seen anyone move, Klaus had her pinned against the wall by her throat. She choked, gasping for breath. Finally, he showed the face of his rage. "Never make me wait!" he shouted in her face. She closed her eyes, resorting to a silent prayer. His strength was perfectly tangible in the pressure around her neck. He was going to slaughter her. She couldn't seem to draw even a tiny breath through his grip.

Suddenly, something shifted. A cool shudder ran through her scalp as her hair changed color. Her perspective was altered slightly as she gained two inches in height. Her vision blurred and came back into focus as her eyes turned from inky black to a ghostly white. Klaus' grip fell from her throat and he took a step backward, wincing slightly. Rin's eyes were unnaturally wide and her cheekbones had taken on an unnatural angle. The pain in Klaus' chest was not enough to bring him to his knees, but he did feel the slight discomfort. He was still sentient enough to see the bizarre changes in Rin's appearance – she barely looked human anymore. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his left temple and spread to his right, almost as if he'd been shot in the head. He shut his eyes for a moment and adjusted quickly to the pain, wondering if this was all she'd got. He blinked and suddenly Rin was back to normal. Her eyes were wide with terror and she was sweating slightly. Klaus' lips broke into a wide grin.

"Finally, I get another demonstration," he said through his smile. "I'm impressed. You held out until you thought your life was physically in danger." Rin was floored as her appearance returned to normal.

"You _triggered_ that? What, you just wanted to see my freakshow? So you threatened to kill me?"

"Now when did I say I would kill you? Thank you for the lovely presentation, but you must have been holding back."

"I don't know, Klaus. I don't know. I can't control it that well." She put a hand to her forehead and took a deep breath. She suddenly felt as if she'd just had a cup of coffee. Remembering what Bonnie had told her, she couldn't help but wonder – who had she stolen energy from? She turned away from Klaus, a move she would soon regret.

Suddenly, his fingers were back on her throat, his palm on the back of her neck. His other hand was sealed over her lips directly under her nose, again cutting off her air flow. Fear flooded her brain as he spoke quickly and quietly directly into her ear.

"Don't scream, tease."

It took less than a heartbeat for her to transform and whip around. In another heartbeat, Klaus gritted his teeth and staggered backward into the counter. He winced, shaking slightly. He was clearly in pain. He was still not immobile but the sudden migraine had even his enhanced vampiric vision slightly blurred. While he waited for his vision to return to normal, Rin subconsciously raised her hand in his direction. With that, it felt like the headache was spreading down to his shoulders, then his chest, then his hips and legs. It was like molten lava slowly dripping from his brain to his toes. However, it was still not enough to cripple the original vampire. He swallowed slowly as he waited for her to stop. He was not yet in the kind of pain that merited a plea for mercy; no, he was nowhere close. He would wait.

Rin was in a completely altered state of mind. The only thought in her head was a compulsion to destroy the vampire before her. How dare he? With new energy, a slow grin formed from her lips as she pictured the type of pain she thought he deserved. She could see that he was suffering, at least a little.

Klaus, meanwhile, was slowly wearing down. His skin was on fire, as if he'd walked into the Arizona sun sans Daylight Ring. It was like a thousand cuts of a razorblade that did not quite break the skin. He clenched his jaw and waited, ever patiently, for the pain to dissipate. Surely she couldn't keep this up much longer.

He was right – Rin was satisfied. In her usual surreal, momentary transformation she was back to her regular appearance and was staring at Klaus, who was suddenly no longer leaning on the counter.

"Looking for a stronger reaction?" she asked casually as she shot him a furious glare. He had gotten what he'd wanted, had he not?

"Indeed I was. It seems you feel more threatened when your dignity is in danger, rather than your life. Interesting."

"So this is your idea of training? Triggering me to cause as much pain as possible to you? Because I must say, watching you suffer isn't going to keep me from sleeping at night." Her mind wandered. He'd replicated the incident outside Provocateur. "You realize that man almost _raped_ me that night, right? You just emulated a rapist." Klaus raised a brow at her. He had quickly regained his composure.

"Please, emulating an animal is not the same as being an animal. And I wouldn't want sexual favors from you, human girl. I prefer my women to have more stamina." He offered her what could only be described as a self-satisfied smirk and in a moment, he was in front of her again with her back to the wall. Too close. "Be careful what you accuse me of, Rin. Recall that I am doing you a favor." It was the first time he'd said her name and it sent a shiver down her spine. As usual, however, she maintained her composure.

Rin could hear in his voice that he was annoyed at her. She'd come to realize that Klaus' version of "annoyed" was the same as most people's version of "verging on an explosion of rage, homicide, or both". He really was unstable.

"Why are you always so angry?" she asked evenly, refusing to give him the satisfaction of causing her to lose her cool three times in a night. She'd already given him the demonstration he wanted and it seemed their "training" was over for the night. Klaus let out a dry laugh at her remark but refused to step back. He was testing her boundaries, trying to push her again.

"You have not yet seen me angry, Love. Let's hope you never do. Your frail human mind wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Interesting, since you always seem to be on the verge of completely losing your head in rage. I hear you've killed thousands upon thousands of people."

"Yes, well, the crimes add up the older you get. So does the money, and the power, and the strength. I don't need to defend myself to you," he spat, glaring down at her. Rin sighed, rolling her eyes. He was too close to her for her to cross her arms, but she wanted to, badly.

"Do you need to be this close?" she asked quickly, sneering at him. Klaus took the opportunity to push her even further. He slid his hands into his pockets and leaned close to her ear, close enough so his lips brushed her hair.

"So sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?" he whispered in a low growl. In a flash, he was at the balcony door, but he could hear the spike in her heart rate across the room. With another smirk, he opened the door and stepped onto the rail. He stood there, suspended with flawless balance, as he called over his shoulder.

"Tomorrow, same time. Be up at five. That is, if you sleep at all. I have a feeling you'll be running on turbo with all that energy for a while." With that, he disappeared once more, this time into the quickly rising sun. _He's not a fan of "goodbye", apparently,_ thought Rin as she took a deep breath. She had to regain her composure. He was trying to provoke her, especially with that last bit. _Was that really necessary?_

It occurred to Rin that she'd used a massive amount of energy tonight trying to cause Klaus pain. She wondered who it had come from. Was there any way to know? Bonnie had said there was a way to control who she took energy from. Perhaps she'd learn that later. She also realized suddenly that every nerve in her body felt as if it were blazing with life. Her vision was clearer, as if everything around her had a new glow to it. She hadn't felt this in a long time. It was incredible. She pushed the thought of who she'd taken the energy from out of her mind.

It also occurred to her that he was incredibly resilient. She'd been able to bring the man behind Provocateur to his knees with a fraction of the power she'd used tonight. Klaus, meanwhile, seemed to feel barely anything. He'd just leaned against the counter and waited for it to end. And right after she stopped, he was fine. She chalked it up to vampiric strength.

Her mind wandered to what he'd said before he left._ So sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?_ It wasn't what he said so much as how he said it. Klaus revealed a lot in his voice, and he seemed to know that. He used it to control the way someone felt. The phrase played itself over and over in her mind – by asking him to move, she'd given in. Next time, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing whatever he was doing was working.

However, it didn't change the fact that the way he said it stirred something in her. It was provocative, obviously; that was his intention.

She refused to think of it anymore. Finally collapsing on the couch, she flipped on the TV to watch whatever happened to be on during the early Saturday hours. The images on the screen took on new life through her enhanced vision.


	8. Boggy J

**AN: So in this chapter Rebekah whines and we meet Marissa Connell, another OC. There is a real-life Marissa Connell and she is wonderful. This is a little bit of a filler chapter to pass time. Sorry not sorry for all the drug use. (:**

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**Part Eight: Boggy J**

Klaus landed gracefully on the grass, as usual. It was barely six AM and the sun was just beginning to cast its orange glare across the pond behind Rin's apartment complex. He made his way to the front of the building and started walking down the sidewalk, deciding to enjoy the weather for now. He could have just sped home but sometimes it was worth it to appreciate the little things.

It was a half hour before he'd crossed town and arrived at the Mikaelson Estate, where he lived with he and his siblings. At least, where his living siblings stayed when they dropped into town. Currently, the only ones present were Rebekah and Elijah. He opened the front door and slammed it obnoxiously behind him.

"I'm home!" he said, as if his siblings would be happy to see him. Rebekah called out to him from the bathroom, where she was carefully applying her eye makeup.

"Welcome back, Nik." She sounded bored. It made sense, since nothing had really been going on around Mystic Falls for several days. "I heard there was a party at the Lockwoods last night. And I heard you were there. Is there a reason why you didn't tell me?" she asked, an edge growing on her voice. She emerged from the bathroom and stood at the top of the stairs, arms crossed.

"Because I didn't want you tailing me," said Klaus simply before walking into the house. He wanted a bath. The party last night had left him reeking of alcohol and smoke of various kinds.

"You know I have no way of being invited, right? And I can't just demand an invitation from a hybrid pet." Rebekah had used her vampiric speed to join Klaus in the kitchen, where he had bitten into an apple. He wanted another snack before bathing. He rolled his eyes as Rebekah whined.

"Rebekah. I don't care. I don't want you tailing me," he said simply.

"I wouldn't be _tailing_ you, Niklaus! I've been bored!" Rebekah was obviously upset about the party. She wanted nothing more than to be human again, to have human experiences – she was always chasing after them as if they offered some kind of special novelty that vampirism could not provide.

"You'd get nosy. I'm taking a bath. Leave me alone, sister," said Klaus as he finished off the tiny gala apple. In a flash, he was upstairs in the bathroom and running the water.

It wasn't long before Rin got bored of watching TV. Her new energy made her want to do something more active. She changed into some running clothes and went downstairs, ready to run until her energy wore off. As she jogged along, she recognized a familiar brown ponytail up ahead. She hurried to catch up.

"Elena?" she asked, breathless. Elena came to a stop and turned around.

"Oh, hey, Rin. Didn't know you ran along this way," she replied with a smile.

"I don't, usually. Just really awake today," said Rin, still catching her breath.

"Nice, most people sleep in on Saturday. I heard you got enough rest last night at Tyler's, though!" said Elena with her warm smile still plastered across her face. Rin looked away momentarily, annoyed that everyone apparently already knew that she'd passed out in Tyler's room.

"Yeah… Just had a rough night, I guess." She decided not to mention the weed since Elena had issues trying to get Jeremy to stop smoking.

"It happens. Well, I'm gonna finish up my run and head home. I'll catch you later?" she asked. Rin wasn't sure if Elena was just this nice or if she went out of her way to act this nice.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," replied Rin, offering a tiny smile. She was still on her energy high; surprisingly her jog wasn't quite doing much to wear it down. Elena turned to continue running but remembered something and turned around.

"Hey, I was supposed to let you know – Damon was thinking of meeting up with you later today or tomorrow so expect a call or text with a time, okay?"

"Alright, thanks for letting me know," said Rin, adjusting her ponytail. Elena waved and said a final goodbye before continuing her run.

Rin went a little further before turning around and running back home. She arrived back at her apartment without a shred of exhaustion – she was able to catch her breath much quicker than usual after exercising and was ready to do something else. But first, she needed a shower.

She stripped down and stepped under the lukewarm shower, cleaning off quickly. Rin didn't like taking long showers; they made her restless. When she was done, she towel-dried off and pulled on some sweats and a white t-shirt. She hadn't heard from Breezy since last night. When she picked up her phone to send a text, she noticed she already had an unread message from an unknown number. The message read, "it's damon. are you free 7pm? let's trade sensory information ;)" She wasn't sure if she wanted to gag or laugh – Damon had an obnoxious sense of humor, but he was willing to teach her how to exercise self-control. Rin was sure that between Klaus' and Damon's mentorship she would learn not only how to use her powers to their full ability but how to prevent herself from killing anyone.

She shot off a quick reply: "sure. am I coming over?" She also asked Breezy how she'd fared last night. She still needed something else to do before seven PM. Time was passing horribly slowly. It was only seven thirty. She scrolled through her contacts, wondering what she could do to kill the time. 'Marissa Connell' caught her eye – she hadn't hung out with the girl since sophomore year but she'd seen her last night at the party in passing. Maybe it was worth a shot. She was still in summer mode and getting baked two days in a row sounded like a great way to spend her first weekend as a senior, and this time she'd do it without passing out. She sent off a quick text asking if she was free today and got a reply almost instantaneously. "rin! where you been yo I'm definitely free. shall we toke?" Rin smiled. Of course Marissa would be awake and available at seven thirty AM to provide good company and weed. She had moved freshman year from a small town in the Midwest where she and her friends spoke with a distinct slang that Marissa was known for at Mystic Falls High.

Rin replied and told her she could come over and within twenty minutes, they sat cross-legged on the bathroom floor. It had been a long time since Rin had smoked in this bathroom – she and Breezy generally smoked at parties or clubs now, and rested at home. It was nice to go back to her smoking-in-bathrooms roots. Marissa pulled a baggie out of her canvas bag and a tiny pipe wrapped in bubble wrap – it was probably the most fragile smoking device Rin had ever seen.

"Dude it's good to see you again. The fuck you been? By the way, this shit is dank. Name's Boggy J and it won't be coming through again for a while." Rin flashed a calculated smile. It was great to see Marissa again and she was thankful for the good weed but she didn't want to slaughter her reputation even more after last night – she had to stay cool.

"Sounds delicious. I've been around, mostly dragging Breezy to parties and watching her get shitfaced," she said evenly. Marissa was no stranger to Breezy's antics – they'd gone to parties together early on in high school and Marissa had been the designated driver more than once because Breezy was too intoxicated and Rin hadn't gotten her license until the summer after sophomore year.

"Sounds like the good old days," said Marissa with a smile as she finished packing the bowl and rummaged through her bag for a lighter.

"Here, I got it," said Rin as she procured her favorite white lighter from her sweats pocket.

"White? You got a deathwish girl?" asked Marissa, exaggeratedly raising a brow.

"Please, we both know I'm invincible," she said as she handed the lighter to Marissa and the curly-haired girl flashed a bemused grin.

"Yeah, and cool kids don't die." Rin watched her take a hit and exhale out the window and then took the lighter and pipe back from her friend to do the same. However, five hits later, she still wasn't feeling more than a slight buzz. _Damn it. Does it not work as well when I'm on an energy high?! _

After they were done smoking, Marissa and Rin turned on the flatscreen in the living room and watched a few episodes of _Off the Air_ that Rin had recorded. Later, the girls made a frozen pizza. Marissa then had to excuse herself to get to her job at a local taco joint.

"See you later, Rin. Don't babysit Breezy too much," she said as she pulled a cigarette out of her purse, ready to light it as soon as she was outside.

"I'll try," said Rin with a genuine smile. She was still buzzing with energy, and her high was extremely mild. She shut the door behind her friend and checked the time. Eleven AM.

Klaus, meanwhile, was holed up in his studio laying down the first strokes of a new painting while coming up with new ways to trigger Rin into using her powers. He had some grand plans, which he was hoping to put into effect very, very soon.


	9. Blood and Brandy

**AN: So in this chapter there's some Damon/Rin interaction during her first lesson with him. (:**

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**Part Nine: Blood and Brandy**

At promptly six fifty-eight PM, Rin's Toyota rolled into the Salvatore's driveway for the second time that

week. She rang the doorbell and waited for someone to open up. Appropriately, it was Damon who answered the door.

"Sleeping Beauty. You made it. And ridiculously prompt, too. Come in," he said, stepping away from the door. He looked a little bewildered, as if he'd just awoken or as if someone had just slapped him across the face.

"Hello, Damon," said Rin calmly. She thought to perhaps ask if he was alright but decided against it – it was his life and his bewilderment, and neither of those things were her problem or business. She followed him into the spacious living room and watched as he reached into the cabinet of a console table and pulled out a blood bag. She wrinkled her nose a little as he pulled a crystal glass out as well and squeezed the contents of the bag into it. The sound the bag made as he slowly squeezed out the red stew was sickening.

"Sorry, Princess, man's gotta eat," he said solemnly as he then reached for his trusty bottle of brandy and mixed in a liberal amount of that into the glass as well.

"Blood and brandy – is that a good combination?" asked Rin casually as she took a seat on the arm of one of the antique sofas. Damon turned around as he drank half the contents of the glass in a few gulps.

"A lovely combination. Hopefully you'll never have to try it," he said, raising the glass in her direction as he paced into the center of the room. His bewildered, tired expression was gone now that he was feeding. "So. Training. I have a question – can you target inanimate objects?" he asked. He was definitely all business here. His tone had changed; the sarcastic, obnoxious Damon was gone. Rin had been concerned that he wouldn't take her training seriously, but his apparent desire to jump right into it was reassuring.

"I don't know; I've never tried," replied Rin. "Why?"

"Because I don't have anyone for you attack and I'm not interested in being a target," he said simply. "So you're going to try targeting something without a heartbeat today. Bonnie gave me this," he said as he walked into the closet connected to the living room for a moment. He emerged with a creepy-looking three-foot-tall doll and put it in the middle of the living room. Rin raised a brow. Upon further inspection, she realized it was supposed to resemble Damon since it was wearing a tiny black coat, but the messy stitching and exes for eyes made it look more like a demonic Raggedy Ann doll than anything else. Rin laughed a little.

"Do you and Bonnie get along at all? I'm sensing a little hostility," she said, bemused and curious.

"Well… we get along as well as we need to for Elena's sake," said Damon. "But that is discussion for another time. So what I'm supposed to teach you today is visualization. The most important thing to learn how to do right now is try to figure out who you're taking energy from. The reason why I'm not going to be the target of your attack is because I want you to take energy from me, since I've got a lifetime supply of energy walking around town. Got it?" So this was how she was supposed to keep herself from killing strangers. By draining a controlled amount of energy from someone she chose. Damon stood behind the dummy, his hand on its shoulders. "I hear you need to be threatened to use your powers. You sure you can't otherwise?"

"I've never tried to use them; it comes naturally when I'm threatened," said Rin. Was he going to try to get her to transform and drain energy without a reason?

"Well, unless this creepy doll is threatening, you're going to have to summon up your will. From what I can tell, you have a lot of that," said Damon with his trademark sarcastic smile.

"Got it…" Rin sighed quietly. She didn't know how to do this.

"When you've transformed, think about me. Think about draining me and my life. If you do it right, you should have a hard time stopping," continued Damon. "According to Bonnie it's like drinking blood. At that point, I'll show you how to stop. That's where vampire self-control comes in."

Rin took a deep breath and sat on the seat part of the couch – she had to be focused here. Closing her eyes, she imagined fear. She thought about the man outside Provocateur and Klaus' hand on the back of her throat, pushing her against the wall. She thought about the fear she had felt when he took that terrifying step closer to her in her room and how it had made her sweat with panic. She thought about the way he could have ripped through her larynx with no effort at all, and how fast her new vampire friends moved. How they were calculated killers, and they could end her life at any time. She felt a familiar chill through her scalp.

Her eyes snapped open, exposing snow white pupils. She stared at the dummy and struggled to keep her focus – she wasn't afraid enough. There was no real, physical danger. Clinging to her heightened state, she quickly shifted her thoughts to Damon. She pictured his life slowly draining from his chest in a misty fog. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized this was actually happening. Her surprise helped to keep her in her transformed state – she could actually see Damon's energy leaving his body through his chest in a hazy, white tendril. It floated toward her and when it reached her body, she felt a rush. When she shifted her thoughts to destroying the dummy, the white fog started rushing towards her faster. It was becoming a steady river of white through across the living room that only she could see. She barely registered that the bewildered look was back on Damon's face. She continued drawing upon the life force; only a fraction of it was needed to wreak havoc upon the dummy. Before long, it was ripping apart at the seams, but she couldn't stop drawing the fog into her mind. Through her hazy thoughts she heard Damon's voice.

"Rin, do you want to destroy me?" he said. His voice was even; he wasn't suffering any major energy losses yet; he was only trying to pressure her into stopping. After all, he was a vampire, and much more resilient than any human source. "You don't want to take everything, right?" She glanced at him for a moment but looked back at the dummy, which was developing a massive rip along its side where the stitching used to be, pushing his words out of her mind. She didn't even know Damon. She didn't care what happened to him and she knew how good she felt after stealing someone's energy. "Rin, listen to me. Reason. Think. You don't want to hurt me," he said. He was wrong – she did want to hurt him. It felt too good.

A moment later, Damon was in front of her. There were slight dark circles beneath his eyes. Glass in hand, he took a sip, staring at her. "Rin. Stop. Now." She looked up at him curiously, unable to figure out why he was so concerned. _Oh, I'm using his energy, right._ It took a moment for her to remind herself. She ignored him and leaned farther back into the couch, smiling wickedly. Damon's face contorted as he was weakened further. It wasn't enough to seriously damage him but it was odd, suddenly becoming so exhausted. This was going too far.

He leaned over her, both hands on the back of the couch. "Rin. Listen to me. You need to stop." He made direct eye contact and flooded his voice with the power of vampiric compulsion. Rin found she was unable to resist his command and reverted to her regular appearance. As soon as she did, Damon plopped down on the couch next to her. The dummy was no longer obstructed by his broad shoulders, and it lay in pieces on the antique carpet.

"How'd I do?" asked Rin cautiously. She had a feeling she hadn't performed very well. Damon didn't answer right away; he was busy squeezing another blood bag into his glass.

"Well. Let's put it this way. You have horrible, absolutely _horrible_ self-control." He took a long swig of blood. "We're going to have to work on that," he said, raising his glass in her direction again. Rin wasn't sure if she should apologize.

"Well, from what I've been told, that might be something you and I have in common," she said, pulling her knees up onto the couch and turning to face him. Damon grinned at her.

"That's why I like you, Princess. You're addicted to what you want. I had to compel you to stop draining me. You almost had me falling asleep there." He paused, taking another sip. "You know what's interesting? You're better at draining energy than you are at causing damage." He gestured to the dummy. "With the amount of energy you took from me, I'm pretty sure you should have been able to completely obliterate that thing. But it's still held together in some places." He paused again to drink once more. "You're hoarding it all for yourself, aren't you?" Rin stared at him, not used to being psychoanalyzed, and especially not on a supernatural level.

"I guess I'm growing to like my energy fix," she said simply.

"So you've been practicing?" asked Damon. _Shit._ She shouldn't have mentioned that she'd used her powers before training with Damon.

"Sort of, I guess," she said. It was unlike her to be ambiguous, and she prayed he wouldn't pick up on that. Thankfully, Damon didn't mention it any further Instead, he bounced onto the couch and kicked his legs over the armrest, placing his head in her lap.

"Well," he said before taking another carefully balanced sip to avoid spillage, "You should probably become an expert at targeting an energy source before you practice again. Don't want you feeding on the already weak," he said with his classic, condescending Damon smile.

"I'll try not to," replied Rin as earnestly as she could, looking down at him and flicking his bangs away from his face. "How's blood taste, anyway?" she asked, trying to lead the conversation to another topic.

"It tastes like the only thing I need to survive. Why; you wanna try it?" he asked with a wicked smile. "You seem concerned about the flavor of my choice in beverages."

"No. No, no, no," she said, shaking her head in disgust. "Definitely not interested on a personal level. Just curious."

"Good. An idiot vampire who was having a brief stroke of genius once told Elena to cherish her humanity. It's good advice." Rin wondered who he might be talking about.

"Evidently, she didn't listen," mused Rin aloud. In a moment, the front door opened and Rin's stomach flipped as the irrational fear that it might be Klaus struck her. It was not; it was only Stefan.

"Hey, whose car is—" he stopped when Rin squirmed around as much as she could with Damon's head in her lap. He didn't move. "Oh, hey Rin. Didn't know you were coming over today. Did you guys actually train or did Damon just hit on you and drink for an hour?" Rin flashed him a curt smile.

"We actually trained and I almost put him to sleep. It was lovely," she said briskly. "Damon, can I get something to drink?" She'd been meaning to ask – it was hot outside and her throat was still burning from hitting Marissa's pipe too hard in the morning in an attempt to get high.

"Of course, Princess, I'll be right back. Are you looking to get drunk?" he asked as he rose to his feet.

"No thanks; sobriety is my game for tonight," she said with her usual cold smile. There was still the drive home and meeting with Klaus early in the morning that she had to take care of. She made a mental note to remember that Damon Salvatore was the person to hit up if she ever wanted free booze.

"As you wish," said Damon, bowing slightly before disappearing into the kitchen. "Look at all my self-control, Stefan!" he called from the other room. Stefan was not impressed.

"Doing what people ask you to do isn't self-control, brother," he said. He then addressed Rin. "Hey, you've already got him mixing you non-alcoholic drinks. Match made in Heaven," he said as he started up the stairs. "Is Elena home?" he asked, raising his voice a little to speak to Damon once again.

"Not yet; dunno where she went," said Damon as he re-appeared in the living room with a bright red Shirley Temple. She thanked him as she took it from him.

"Thanks, Damon," she said as she took the tall glass from him. It was refreshing, combatting the blazing summer heat outside and the fire in her throat.

"No problem. Feel free to stick around if you like – it's been pretty dry around here lately and we could use some new company. By that I mean me. I could use your company," he said, his voice dripping in exaggerated flirtation. Rin allowed herself a small laugh and successfully fought back a blush. Damon really laid it on thick.

"So sorry, Damon. I'm going to have to leave pretty soon. I have something to do early tomorrow," she said, taking another sip of her drink.

"Ah, pity. Next time you're staying," he said, implying that she had no choice in the matter.

"We'll see," she replied, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing she would stay if she could.

When she was finished with her drink, she said her goodbyes to both Damon and Stefan. It was almost eleven – Damon and Rin had spent more time chatting than actually training. But she left feeling as if she'd learned something new. She knew how to choose who she was draining energy from now, and that was something vital.

When she got home, she decided it would be a good idea to at least attempt sleep. Eventually, she wanted her sleep schedule back to normal, and she had to be ready to meet Klaus by five AM. However, she was brimming with the vampiric energy she'd stolen from Damon. She felt distinctly alive, as if she hadn't known the meaning of the word until tonight. Damon was right – stealing energy was addicting. Wanting to channel the new life force within her to make it last, she did some yoga on her bedroom floor before crawling into bed out of habit. As she lay awake blasting her mp3 player, she found herself thinking about her night. She'd had a good time with Damon. He was carefree and came on so strong she was sure he wasn't serious about the way he felt about anyone at all. It felt safe to be thinking fondly of him, knowing he wouldn't want anything from her that she wouldn't feel comfortable giving – Damon could have any girl in the world, so what would he want with her?


	10. Addiction

**Part Ten: Addiction**

Rin sat straight up in bed. She couldn't focus on anything in particular anymore; she wanted to _do _something. She zoomed over to the window, gazing out at the pond behind the building in the dark. It was four thirty AM. Klaus would be here soon. She paced across the room, restless. She'd changed into jeans before she went to Damon's but wondered if Klaus would notice that she was dressed fairly casually today – just jeans and a white t-shirt. She twirled a few strands of her long hair around a finger for several moments before realizing something. It was white. Her hair was white. But why? She wasn't threatened and she didn't want to use her powers.

Shocked, she rushed to her vanity. She was in her transformed state. What was going on? Shocked, she ran a hand through her hair and moved closer to the mirror, trying to get a look at her pupils. Sure enough, they were bright white and reflective. She looked like some kind of animal. She moved away from the mirror and her eyes widened in horror. Her face was melting. The skin was becoming pale dripping off her face like liquid mercury, revealing bright red flesh underneath. Horrified, she took a staggering step backward. What she saw then was just as terrifying – Klaus was in the mirror. He stood behind her with his hands on her waist, fangs bared. He was going to drain her blood. She tried to turn around but he held her in place. Immediately, she turned to her distinctly human instinct to attempt to physically get away from him. She opened her mouth but she couldn't scream. This was it. This was the end.

Finally, she snapped. Without understanding what she was doing, she hissed at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her reflection – her skin was intact, but she looked like a monster. Her cheekbones jutted sickeningly against her skin and her eyes were open unnaturally wide, revealing the curve of the whites of her eyes. Ignoring her reflection, she immediately recalled what Damon had taught her. She pictured Klaus' life energy draining from him rapidly. At the same time, she visualized crippling, buckling pain firing through his body with the force of a dynamite explosion. Within moments, his grip on her waist was loose. She wiggled away and collapsed onto her vanity, the various bottles of perfume and lotion falling to the floor. Her heart raced as she struggled to catch her breath. Klaus staggered backward and raised a hand to his chest, speechless. Rin could see his life force clouding the room and she willed it to enter her mind. A new rush flowed through her as she once again attacked Klaus, causing him enough pain to warrant a strained gasp.

He mustered the strength to close the space between them, slamming his hands on the vanity surface on either side of her. "STOP!" he screamed his compulsion. To her surprise, she was able to watch his pupils dilate and constrict without feeling the effects of the compulsion. "Rin. Stop, now. Now!" This time, his voice didn't sound angry. He seemed to be earnestly asking her to stop. Was he begging? She didn't care. She drew in another cloud of his life force and closed her eyes, drunk on his energy.

It took every drop of Klaus' self-control not to use what strength he had left not to snap her neck. Killing her now would ruin the plan. Instead, he attempted compulsion one more time. As soon as she opened her eyes again, he gave it another shot.

"Rin. Rin. Please, stop. Love, stop." His voice was slightly broken. This time she heard him. Annoyed that she had to listen, she glared as she reverted to her usual black-haired, black-eyed self. Her eyes regained their graceful almond shape and her face was once again normal. As soon as the assault ended, Klaus took a haggard step toward her bed and couldn't resist the urge to collapse. He was exhausted; Rin had drained the original vampire of a great deal of his own energy. Strangely enough, she had no idea what had happened.

"Klaus? What time is it?" She got off the vanity and checked the time on her mp3 player. 5:01. "You're on time. What the hell happened to you?" Klaus let out a tired scoff and then laughed tiredly.

"What happened to me? You're the wrong person to be asking that question. Bravo, Rin. I'm impressed. You resisted my compulsion when I asked you to stop." _Begged. You begged her to stop, Klaus,_ he reminded himself. The girl had either gained significant strength overnight or something had changed.

"I did this, then?" Rin was shocked. She had no idea was capable of exhausting Klaus to this extent. All she'd done was target him as both the source of her energy as well as the target of her assault. It had worked wonders. She silently thanked Damon and stood, feeling incredible from Klaus' energy. It had a different feeling than Damon's – this was more explosive. It made her feel good about herself, as if she'd never lose confidence again.

"You don't remember. Hm. Don't get too excited, I'm not quite dead yet. I compelled you to see whatever scared you in the mirror and simply stood by, watched, and prevented you from escaping. Seems like a perfect cocktail for Rin-fueled disaster," said Klaus, laughing dryly to himself.

"You compelled me to see those things? So you weren't really going to eat me. No wonder. I guess I'm already getting pretty good at taking the offensive, though. I mean… look at you." She was talking too much and giddy with her new, fiery energy. She stood before him and sneered, thrilled to see him in such a pitiable state. He could barely lift up his head; it merely hung as he hunched over, balancing his elbows on his knees as he waited for his energy to return. Rin recalled that Damon needed to feed in order to regain his – would Klaus need to do the same? She wasn't sure, but she was the only source of human blood in her apartment. The thought made her wonder – what was it like? Being fed upon? The thought made her stomach churn but the risk excited her. She was all but physically vibrating from her new energy, and dangerous activity suddenly seemed like a wonderful idea. Klaus would surely kill her; he did not strike her as someone who would restrain himself from accidentally draining his victims dry. She wondered if he used blood bags like Damon did.

Would Klaus kill her, really? She didn't know for sure.

"I'll be _fine_ in a moment, Rin. Remember who you're talking to. I am an original vampire," he said through gritted teeth. It was obvious that he was clinging to his pride, and she had a feeling he wouldn't abandon that anytime soon. She wanted to practice more. She wanted him to regain his strength so she could drain him once more.

"Do you need to feed?" her voice was shaking with excitement. She was suddenly filled with the thrill of being alive and taking risks. Klaus' head snapped up when she asked.

"If I needed to feed, I would," he said. "I wouldn't ask your permission." Rin got down on one knee before him, making eye contact at his level. She brought her lips to his ear.

"Wouldn't you? I know you're more of a gentleman than that," said Rin, using the same low, provoking tone that Klaus had used with her the night before. _Sweet revenge,_ she thought.

Unfortunately, she'd made a horrible mistake by bringing herself into such close proximity with the weakened original vampire. In a moment, he had used the very last of his strength to push her onto the floor, leaning over her with his fangs bared and his hands holding hers viciously down. The face Rin saw was the same horrific visage she'd seen on him in the mirror. She met his darkened eyes, fear soaring through her. This time, however, she welcomed it – the fear was only bringing her energy-high to a new level. It occurred to Klaus that if she wanted to, she could dip into her transformed state once more and possibly prevent him from feeding on her. For some reason, she was enjoying the thrill of her fear instead of turning to her natural fight-or-flight instincts. She didn't even struggle.

"You are making a horrible mistake by trusting me," he said. In her heightened state of mind, Rin felt as if she could read his mind when he looked at her. It seemed like he was genuinely warning her, asking her to give more credit to the fact that he could kill her. He placed a hand on the back of her neck, lifting slightly to expose her jugular. Before biting, he whispered once more into her ear. "But do not mistake this for a complaint."

There was a flash of pain before her vision blurred, and she was in heaven. With her heightened awareness, she could hear him swallowing greedily. As the blood left her body, her brain exploded into alarms that told her she was being attacked, but the acute knowledge of the attack reminded her she was alive, and still brimming with an unnatural amount of life force. It was a self-perpetuating cycle that her drowning in the ecstasy of knowing she had taken a dangerous, life-threatening risk. Her jaw dropped open and she let out a low groan, releasing some of her trance-like delight in the sound.

Just when she thought it wouldn't end, Klaus' fangs released her. He noticed right away that something was happening where he'd bitten her – her skin was stretching to cover the marks already. She was healing like a vampire or a werewolf would.

"You, love, are a lucky, lucky girl," he said simply as he leaned over her with his hands still pinning hers to the floor. Her own blood dripped from his mouth and landed on her cheek. She couldn't react. She was frozen stiff from the rush of sensations she'd experienced in the last fifteen minutes and remained immobile, much like a child who'd overdosed on caffeine.

He got off her and wiped the remaining carnage from his lips and grinned down at her. "It's strange; I never pegged you as one to get off on fear, especially considering your special powers only work well as a reaction to it. Perhaps the witch was right. Maybe you do need some self-control, for your own good."

In a moment, the extra energy flowing through her started ebbing away just enough for her to gain control over her body again. She sat up slowly, eyes still wide.

"I do _not_ get off on fear," she said, glaring up at him. Her energy was depleting quickly now that she'd just been fed upon. "Oh god, it's going to leave a mark. It's going to—" she stopped when she caught her reflection in the mirror. There was nothing there. "How did it heal so quickly?"

"What do you think all that extra life force is capable of? Mine, especially," said Klaus with the same self-satisfied smile spread across his face. "I think we've both had enough for tonight, Ms. Yamamoto," he said as he made his way toward the living room area, where the balcony doors were. He was going to leave again. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to conjure up her powers then and steal more of his life force. He was a much better source of energy than Damon. His energy was like a living river of strength tearing through her. Damon's was more of an unfocused rush.

She followed him into the living room with the attachment of an addict.

"When are we training again?" she asked.

"You don't get to know that just yet, love," he said with a cunning smile over his shoulder. He was standing on the railing again. "I have a feeling you'll get some rest this time." That was the last thing he said before falling to the ground and landing gracefully on all fours. Rin rushed to the balcony and looked down at him, eyes still wide with thirst. Klaus recognized that look – it was the look of a desperate new vampire. But she was only a human. A human with extraordinary capabilities. He turned around completely after taking a few steps forward and bowed to her. Rin only stared, hollow with the desire to feed on him again and be fed upon.

"I hate you," she said solemnly. She was truly angry with him for leaving, much like a jilted pet with separation anxiety.

Klaus only smiled and disappeared around the corner of the building. He was going to walk home again. But something was bothering him – where had she learned to choose her energy source?

He had an idea, but he would have to do his research. Rin would not get away with deceiving him.


	11. Business or Pleasure?

**Part Eleven: Business or Pleasure?**

Klaus wandered into the house at around five forty-five, alarming Rebekah once again.

"You've been staying out all night," said Rebekah from the piano room, where she kept the textbooks she'd accumulated over the years. Because they lived forever, vampires had to develop pretentious hobbies such as memorizing piano and learning a multitude of languages to pass the time. Rebekah was currently in the process of brushing up on her Italian skills.

"I've been busy," said Klaus simply. He crashed onto the couch in the living room, which was separated from the piano room with an open archway. Within seconds CNN was broadcasting dry human news. Klaus liked to watch what petty destruction humans were bringing upon themselves now and again.

"What have you been busy with?" asked Rebekah, trying to sound casual. It bothered her that Klaus was always up to something and he only included her when he needed something from her. Klaus sighed huffily, annoyed.

"Rebekah, do you enjoy patronizing me? Trying to find out where I've been? Does it make you feel like a parent? What's it like, knowing you can never _truly_ be in control of anyone?" Rebekah frowned, flipping a page in the book she was reading.

"It makes me feel like an older sister. And despite what you may wish, Nik, I am still your older sister. So I have every right to ask where you've been. I have every right to worry." At this, Klaus let out a genuine laugh.

"Please, don't even pretend like you're worried. You're nosy, that's all."

"I think you've been meeting someone," said Rebekah quickly. "Who is she?" Klaus decided he was officially tired of Rebekah trying to wiggle her way into his business.

"She's a beautiful, five hundred-year-old vampire. A thousand times as beautiful as you could ever be. Now stop asking me or I'll dagger you and put you back in your Rebekah-sized shoebox, dear sister." Rebekah frowned, the sting of the jibe sinking in. She knew he really would do it, too. Not only that, but he was definitely lying, telling her whatever she suspected to make her shut up. She didn't reply. There was no point. Klaus was heartless. Maybe one day he would start being her little brother again and forget the horrible person he'd become.

One day, she would prove to him that it was worth being her little brother again.

After an hour of watching the news in silence, Klaus stood and shut the TV off. He'd concluded that world today was full of misery, as usual, and he had bigger and better things to think about. He marched back outside and sped over to the Salvatore Mansion, wondering about his hunch regarding Rin's new abilities.

Though he could have walked in if he wanted to, Klaus decided he'd have a better chance of overhearing the brothers outside, near the window. Damon and Stefan were in the kitchen, discussing their respective issues.

"I don't know, I feel like I'm losing her," said Stefan. _Probably referring to Elena._ Damon rolled his eyes. Stefan was always overly concerned about "losing Elena". He'd been complaining about it since the beginning of their relationship. Damon wouldn't have minded if Stefan "lost" Elena at all. That way, he might have a damn chance with her. His mind jumped to Rin – after their first lesson he'd realized she was certainly inciting, but he couldn't let himself fall in love with another human girl. Falling for Elena had been grueling enough.

"You always feel like you're losing her. Calm down, Stefan, if you were actually losing her you know she'd already be coming after me," Damon flashed his brother a smile depicting nothing but the shallowest of faux warmth.

"Shut up, Damon. You know I don't find that funny."

"I didn't say you were supposed to find it funny, brother. Anyway, what're you up to today? I've got jack shit to do," said Damon, finally coming out of the pantry. He'd found what he was looking for – the box of Swarovski crystal shot glasses he'd lost last week while "cleaning". Stefan sighed.

"Nothing really; I was thinking of maybe taking Elena out. We haven't gone down by the river at night recently and she really enjoyed that last time." Damon was ready to gag. He hated hearing Stefan talk about Elena. It seemed recently he didn't talk about much else. Their "brotherly" moments were nothing more than Stefan either expressing concern or fawning over Elena. He carried the shot glasses into the living room and Stefan wandered in soon after. "Do you think that's a good idea?" Damon placed the box onto a console table and turned around.

"Totally, Stefan. Go for it," he said, still smiling in a way that implied he really, really did not care. Stefan got the hint and didn't mention Elena again.

"You know, you should seriously develop a new hobby aside from drinking."

"Why? Concerned about my liver?"

Klaus had a feeling he would be waiting quite a while before Rin was mentioned, if she was mentioned at all. The Salvatore brothers were obviously up to their usual, mindless antics and he was getting nowhere like this. There was always the option of sauntering in and asking, but then he ran the risk of looking overly suspicious about a girl he did not yet have much of an affiliation with, especially if he was wrong. He would have to squeeze the information out of Rin later. He turned on his heel and sped back home, annoyed at his lack of results.

Rin, meanwhile, had passed out around six o'clock. She'd felt horribly drained, almost as if going through some kind of withdrawal. Even after she awoke at three PM, she didn't feel fully rested. Everything looked dull and lifeless without her enhanced vision. She sighed as she munched on her daily combination of strawberries and Swiss cheese. Feeling subdued and tired, she decided to stray from her usual healthy diet and heated up a small personal pizza in the microwave. Suddenly, her phone beeped. A text message from another unknown number read "Let me in." She rolled her eyes, having a feeling she knew who was at her door. She realized she probably looked exhausted and she'd fallen asleep in nothing but a giant blue t-shirt and hadn't changed yet. _Whatever, it's just Klaus,_ she thought. He didn't know anyone she knew and he wasn't worth impressing.

"You know you could have just knocked," she said, annoyed, as she swung open the door.

"Ah, but that would be surrendering to what you wanted me to do, and I'd rather save you that satisfaction," said Klaus with a condescending grin.

"Of course, wouldn't want to make things too easy. Where'd you get my number?" she said as she slammed her phone down on the counter. It was dark and messy in her apartment with the curtains drawn and various pairs of shoes and clothes strewn about, results of her and Breezy's party-prep time. Her voice was still slightly cracked from sleep as well. It was strange having Klaus in her apartment during the day.

"Asked my pet hybrid to get it from Bonnie," said Klaus, as if this was a perfectly normal thing to do.

"You realize you could have just asked me?" Klaus didn't have a response to that. He'd been pretty sure she wouldn't have given him her number if he'd asked.

"I'm a little curious," he started, ignoring what she'd said as he leaned his elbows on the counter. He noted the heavy dark circles under her eyes and the new sallowness of her skin tone. "Where did Rin, an inexperienced, hardly supernatural being with no connections whatsoever, learn how to choose a source to feed on?" Rin grabbed a glass of orange juice and took a sip, staring at Klaus. He was suspicious, but she would handle it. She placed the glass on the table and looked back at him.

"Internet," she said simply.

"Really? There's an online community for telepaths? Funny, because in all of my thousand or so years, I've never come across another."

"Found a speculation site run by psychics. Turns out they were onto something," she said evenly. Rin was a practiced liar – it came from years of convincing bartenders and bouncers she was twenty-one. Klaus decided he still wasn't getting anywhere. She was keeping something from him. He could have compelled it out of her, but Klaus' power-trip was getting people to come to him on their own accord. He would get her to tell him eventually, and she would do it willingly.

"Interesting. You'll have to show me sometime. Anyway, I decided on our next training session. I want you to learn how to transmit something other than pain." Rin took another slow sip from her orange juice.

"Something other than pain? Such as?" She raised a brow with a small smile, remembering Damon's comment when he'd first learned about her powers.

"Please, if you were going to transmit _that_ I'd make you do it willingly and manually. Temperature, sound, visions – you must learn how to change the sensory experience of your target."

"Willingly and manually, huh? I see you've been thinking about this," added Rin, ignoring what he asked her to do. Klaus suddenly lost his cool again and slammed his fist on the counter. Rin merely rolled her eyes. She would have loved to drain him of his energy again but she was so exhausted she couldn't even muster up the strength required to do that. He was always just a ball of rage and it made her want to cut him down to size.

"Pay attention, human. I'm not interested in your sarcastic advances." _Classic Klaus. Always boiling over with rage._ She remembered the lovely sensations that had washed over her as he fed on her. _If only that were Damon_, she thought.

"Would you be interested in my serious advances?" she asked, twirling her hair and smiling with faux provocation. Pushing him and watching him snap was a great deal of fun, especially now that she knew he wouldn't kill her – he'd proved that last night. Klaus took a deep breath, composing himself.

"Stop toying. Come up with a way to control your powers to make what I want happen. Understand?" Rin dropped her hair and placed her elbows on the table, mirroring Klaus, and leaned forward, letting the scoop neck of her t-shirt dip forward just enough to flash a little cleavage.

"You'd love for me to make whatever you want happen, Niklaus, wouldn't you?" she said breathily, wondering just how far she could push him. Watching boys crumble with lust was one of her favorite pastimes. Klaus glared at her, but not before glancing down ever so slightly. Rin was satisfied and leaned back again, picking up her glass once more.

"Of course, glad we're on the same page, Rin," he said, still glaring. "Now figure it out because I'm not telling you when our next training session is. Be ready." With that, he marched across the kitchenette and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Rin rolling her eyes once more and sipping on her orange juice. He was so cute when he was angry, now that Rin knew she could take him. She couldn't help but wonder - since she could handle Klaus, could she handle Damon as well? She hadn't done any serious damage during their training session but she hadn't been attacking him the same way she'd attacked Klaus. Was she stronger than a vampire now? Stronger than all vampires?

She wasn't sure. But she'd make sure to find out next time she trained with Damon.

Rin had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be learning self-control with him.

This is exactly what Damon was thinking about as he stared at the television, which was playing a bizarre show in which parents dressed up their children for beauty pageants. _ I guess when you only have one life to live you have to take advantage of your kids' lives too, _he thought in between pondering his new status as a mentor, sipping on red wine. He was getting sick of brandy.

He'd realized that it was going to take a ton of work to teach Rin self-control. He'd had to compel her to stop draining him last time. Eventually, she would have to learn how to stop herself. But Damon knew the temptation – when he'd first become a vampire it had seemed impossible to keep himself from simply draining each of his victims dry. It had taken a lot of time for him to realize that it wasn't practical to kill everyone. He would have to talk to her before she used her powers again. Deciding to set that up now, he sent her a text message: "meet at grill, 7pm?"

Rin read the message as she guzzled coffee on the couch in a feeble attempt to wake herself up. Was he asking her out? Or was this mentor business? Either way, she wondered if it was a good idea to meet with Damon – Klaus was definitely onto her, and she wouldn't put it past him to follow her around without her knowledge. Hell, she wouldn't put it past him to follow her around _with_ her knowledge.

But she couldn't resist. She wanted to know if he wanted to see her for a lesson or just because he wanted to. Damon was fun, and he made her want to let loose. She would just have to be careful to shake Klaus if she found him tailing her. "sure, is this for business or pleasure?" she asked. Her phone blinked a moment later with his response.

"both. see you there." Rin smiled. Perfect.


	12. Crossing State Lines

**AN: More Damon/Rin action here. Please review! :D**

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**Part Twelve: Crossing State Lines**

Rin decided it was finally a good time to be fashionably late, so she strolled into Mystic Grill at exactly 7:08. Not quite ten minutes late, but more than five. She'd spent thirty minutes carefully curling her hair with a wide-barrel curling iron so it flowed down her back in large, billowing waves, and had spent an additional fifteen minutes applying makeup. She wore a black tank top, silver jeans, and black flats. It had taken some time to make herself look less like an exhausted telepath who was lacking energy and more like the sultry, confident human being she thought she'd been last week.

The Grill was relatively full for a Sunday night, but she didn't mind – it would mean that if Klaus was stalking her, he'd have a hard time finding her in the crowd. She had glanced in the rearview mirror constantly while driving and checked out every driver she passed by as well, just to make sure none of them were Klaus. He had some major attachment issues.

Little did she know, her efforts would not prevent Klaus from stalking her at all – he was far above being caught by her limited human senses.

Because of the slight crowd, she couldn't find Damon at first. Her phone beeped soon after she stepped in, however, with a message from him. "in the back." She glanced over and sure enough, Damon was watching her while sipping on a martini. She walked over, hips swinging ever so slightly.

"Evening, Princess, you're pretty dressed up for the Grill," said Damon, taking in her appearance as she sat down.

"Thought I'd look good for our little date," she said, looking up at him through her thick lashes as she flipped open the menu.

"Well you definitely do look good. Is that what this is?" replied Damon with a smile. He could never tell if she was being serious, and it made him wonder about her intentions. Damon could tell she was the kind of girl who got a kick out of manipulation, but it was impossible to discern when she was being manipulative and when she was just being playful. And if it was the former, he wasn't interested – he was done with manipulative bitches after Katherine turned out to be using him for a kick for over two hundred years.

"You tell me," she said without looking away from the menu. He placed a finger on the page she was reading and pushed it down, forcing her to look up at him.

"Trust me; you do not want to be on a date with Damon Salvatore," he said with a smirk, half-serious. Rin raised a brow.

"Well, thank God you told me! In that case, this is definitely not a date, and I want nothing to do with you, you horrible man," she said jokingly. He grinned.

"Never mind, it's a date," he said with a short laugh before cracking open his own menu. Rin smiled to herself.

"So what's good here? I haven't been in a while," she asked.

"I wouldn't know, most human food tastes more or less the same to me," he replied casually. "I think I'll go with the salmon."

"I'm thinking tilapia," she said, closing the menu and placing it on the table. A waitress came by soon after and they placed their orders. Rin waited for her to leave before speaking again. "So, I'm assuming you wanted to speak with me about something?"

"I did. We need to discuss your complete lack of self-control and your relentless desire to suck your source dry," he said evenly. Once again, Damon was all business. Rin realized this was one of the things she especially liked about him – he knew how to have fun but when it was time to be serious he didn't hesitate to cut to the chase.

"What about it?" she asked, genuinely curious. Did he have a solution for her? New incentive to want to control herself?

"I want to you to know that it isn't as enticing as it seems to destroy people. I know it seems like you really want to just drain as much energy as you can from your source, but when they're dead and gone it really doesn't feel like anything. It doesn't feel like you've gained anything. Then you have to deal with the fact that you killed someone." Rin could see how this might seem relevant to her situation, but she couldn't help but question his credibility. Had he killed people?

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because it's the same as when you've just turned into a vampire. Eventually, the habit just doesn't die. I've killed a lot of people." He paused, taking a sip of his martini. "And it doesn't feel like anything."

"I can imagine," she said simply.

Rin knew she should be shocked. Her mind jumped to Klaus, who she knew had killed thousands of innocent people. Yet she trusted him anyway. She'd made a deal with him. Apparently, she'd made a deal with two killers. She was sure Damon wasn't as bad as Klaus, but that didn't change the fact that he'd killed at least some innocent people as well. Somehow, she wasn't shocked at all. What did shock her, however, was realizing that the prospect of murder didn't affect her like it had before she'd experienced what it was like to drain someone of their life force. It occurred to her that it was perfectly within her capabilities to end someone's life, especially after feeling Klaus' fiery energy buzzing in her brain.

"I know it seems like it isn't a big deal right now. But trust me, there's no point – you don't gain anything from murder," he told her, understanding what was going through her mind right now. "You save yourself a lot of grief by just stopping. You don't want to know what it's like to realize you've ended someone's life. Besides, I'm going to teach you how to use multiple sources so you're taking less from each person." Damon didn't add that this also opened up the possibility of ending multiple people's lives at one time – Rin would probably figure that out herself eventually, but there was no reason to tempt her right now with the thought of that much energy available to her.

Rin nodded as she took a sip of her water. Before long, their food came. Their conversation ended abruptly as they thanked the waitress. As she walked away, Rin quickly glanced around the Grill to make sure Klaus wasn't around. She didn't see him and deemed it safe to continue speaking.

Damon had a point; she wasn't sure how she would react if she realized she'd literally drained the life out of someone. But the temptation of the incredible strength she could possess from that kind of energy was certainly strong. She would have to learn how to control it eventually.

"You're right; I'll learn. I'll figure out how to stop myself," she said quietly as she took a bite out of the tilapia. It was pretty decent – the Grill had definitely improved over all the years she'd lived in Mystic Falls.

"Excellent," said Damon, once again flashing his playful smile before taking a bite of the salmon. "I'm going to show you something after dinner, by the way, so if you had plans after this – cancel them." He smiled again and took another bite. Rin smiled to herself as she cut another bite out of the tilapia, wondering what it could be.

"I'll have to tell all the other dates I had lined up that I'm busy, then," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Tell them you've found the one, and you are _never_ going back," added Damon with a dramatic look on his face.

"I'll tell them I'm running away, crossing state lines. With the mysterious Damon Salvatore."

"Ooh, I wouldn't tell them my name. They'll come after me."

"Of course, sorry. I know how you can't handle a horde of teenage boys," she said sarcastically before sipping her water.

"My biggest fear," said Damon, carrying on the joke. The two of them continued chatting as they finished up their dinners. Before long, Damon asked for the check. Rin reached for her purse to pull out her debit card.

"Uh-uh, that's not how it works, Princess. I ask you out, I pay for dinner," he said. Rin cocked her head at him, smiling.

"I didn't realize how serious you were about this," she said, implying more the meaning of the words.

"You mean our date? Or us?" Rin's heart rate kicked up a notch. He wasn't kidding there. She detected absolutely no sarcasm in his voice. As usual, she successfully fought back a blush and said only one word.

"Both."

Damon smiled to himself as the waitress brought the check and he signed it, leaving his card inside the leather folder. She took it away to charge the card.

"_Super_ serious," he said. The waitress was back with his card. "We'll take my car – we're going out to the edge of town." Rin nodded, wondering what he wanted to show her. Sure, it was a little sketchy, but she trusted him.

"Sounds good to me," she said as she stood, following him out the door.


	13. A True Goddamn Expert

**AN: Klaus is angry. Klaus is very, very angry. o.o**

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**Part Thirteen: A True Goddamn Expert**

Klaus wasn't sure what made him most angry – the fact that it was Damon Salvatore from whom she'd learned how to choose a source, the fact that a skill Damon Salvatore had taught her had been used to weaken him to the point of exhaustion, the fact that he was right that it was Damon Salvatore all along, or the fact that Rin was now out having a romantic night with Damon Salvatore when she _should_ be pondering how figure out how to completely alter the sensory experience of her targets beyond just feeling pain. This was really not going according to plan at all, and he'd underestimated her ability to not only lie to him but to completely ignore his requests. Now he was following them out to the edge of town to figure out what Damon had wanted to show her. The last thing he wanted was for his telepath to begin an affair with the one and only _Damon Salvatore_. He was sick of the drama that surrounded Elena Gilbert and her friends and how it constantly got in the way of his plans.

Aside from that, wasn't Damon irrevocably in love with sweet, plain, human Elena? He wasn't so sure anymore. He'd heard the way Damon's heart rate had spiked when he spotted Rin across the Grill. How long had she spent making herself look that way, anyway? She could have spent that time practicing. As he sped along the car, making sure to stay a safe distance away in the dark on the side of the road, he smashed his fist into a tree, leaving a deep crack. This was one complication he really did not want to deal with.

He watched silently as Damon and Rin emerged from his car. He'd left the car on the side of the road and was guiding her off into the darkness.

"What's out here?" she asked, thankful that she'd worn flats instead of her favorite ankle boots. The terrain was a little rocky and she didn't need to be making a fool of herself by tripping over some twigs.

"Shh, don't make too much noise," said Damon in a hushed tone. Rin didn't reply and only continued following him further off the road. They were well into the cornfields before Damon stopped and knelt down. Rin joined him, folding her legs beneath her, and tried to figure out what he was looking at. There was a tiny clearing before them, almost like a little bed of grasses.

"What is it?" Damon forgot that Rin didn't possess the same superior vampiric vision he did and silently pulled his keychain out of his back pocket. There was a tiny flashlight attached to it and he shone it on the little space before them.

Inside, at the base of the grass, was a little indentation in the dirt. Inside the indentation was what Damon had been trying to point out – it was a mother rabbit with what looked like her very recently born babies. Rin frowned, leaning closer to examine them. They were sleeping soundly, all curled up to the mother's belly to keep warm. There were four of them, and they were all nearly hairless with their tiny eyes shut. It occurred to her what Damon was trying to do by showing her this.

"Oh my god," she said quietly, the words barely floating on a breathy whisper. Damon watched her raise her hand to her lips. She'd definitely gotten the message. He smiled to himself, thrilled that his point had gotten across. Praying she wouldn't react adversely, he put his arm around her, pulling her close to him.

"Do you see now why you need to learn self-control?" he asked, whispering so as not to disturb the sleeping creatures. The mother was already twitching awake. "No matter how tempting it is to believe otherwise, life is precious, Rin. You can't forget that," he said, his lips barely brushing up against her hair.

Rin was absolutely shocked. This was the last thing she'd expected, but it definitely showed her that she needed to at least attempt to preserve the life of the people she was feeding off of. Life was fragile, and her powers put the lives of many in her hands. She had to feed to survive, but she needed to exercise restraint. She looked up at him, not knowing what exactly she wanted to tell him.

"Damon, I…" she trailed off, losing her train of thought. The two of them spent a moment just looking at each other, as if suddenly understanding the importance of their own lives as well. Without thinking twice, Damon pressed his lips against hers. There wasn't a thought in his head – he'd just suddenly realized the desire to kiss her and had acted upon it. Rin felt the same thing and instinctively tangled her fingers in his hair, pressing her other hand to the back of his neck. Bliss washed over her; she couldn't believe how quickly this was happening. And judging by how his hands weren't wandering over anything but her hair, she was sure he wasn't just trying to get into her pants.

Wanting more, she pushed him slightly and straddled him. He lay down in the grass and deepened the kiss, groaning slightly against his lips. A thought finally popped into Damon's mind. _God, she's beautiful. _He flipped them over and put a hand to her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible. Rin was in heaven. Damon was a fantastic kisser, and this was the single most romantic moment she'd experienced in years. She felt a rush in her chest as she arched her back, pressing herself against him.

"So it was Damon Salvatore," said a voice. Rin's heart dropped several times. Damon pulled away immediately, hearing Klaus. Rin was already pushing him off of her as he lifted himself up, standing up to meet Klaus' eyes.

"Ugh, Klaus. What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, annoyed.

"I was just looking for my telepath," said Klaus with an innocent smile. Damon's expression turned to one of confusion – what did he mean "his" telepath? If she was anyone's telepath, she was his. He looked over at Rin, who was just now gathering herself and standing up. "I had a feeling she was up to something."

"_His_ telepath?" demanded Damon. He had a sinking feeling that Rin was two-timing him – he would have known that feeling anywhere. Rin cleared her throat. How could she possibly lie her way out of this one?

"Yes, _my_ telepath," said Klaus, thrilled at defeating Damon. He would have to understand that he had absolutely no ability to attract a girl who would be loyal to him – he simply did not have the sort of qualities that demanded loyalty. Klaus, however, could quite easily force loyalty out of someone. That was what he was doing now.

"You and him? Seriously? We all told you he was completely crazy!" Damon ran a hand through his hair, horrified that he'd been deceived again. "Why would you even… God! You don't know what he's done." Rin blinked. Damon thought she was _dating_ Klaus. She could barely bring herself to wrap her mind around the concept.

"Oh my god. It's not like that, not at all." She took a deep breath, glaring daggers at the original vampire. "Trust me; I know he's completely insane." She wished she had supernatural abilities that would help her to correct this. She couldn't believe she'd been caught; she'd checked over and over again to make sure Klaus wasn't following her. But here he was.

"Come now, love, there's no reason to continue lying to him," said Klaus, still flashing that self-satisfied smile. This was playing out wonderfully. If he couldn't force Rin to avoid Damon, he would give Damon every reason to stay away from her. "Can we just end this now and go home? So sorry about all this, Damon, honest. I'll have to talk to Rin about the drawbacks of attempting to deceive an admirable and honest vampire such as yourself." Rin thought she was going to gag.

"Damon, I wasn't _dating _him… I'm not lying, I seriously wasn't. I'm not." Rin was horrified. This was _not_ supposed to happen.

"Really? Why should I believe that?"

"Just compel it out of me if you need to know!"

"No, Rin, I shouldn't have to force you to tell me the truth."

Klaus was done waiting; he didn't want to give Rin a chance to make Damon believe her. Damon had always had a weakness for trusting women who were only trying to deceive him.

"Come on, Rin. We're going to have to discuss this on the way home," he said, grabbing her arm. Rin struggled and wanted to tap into her powers then and there if it meant just being able to escape him, but she was too frantic – this was horrible. She was losing Damon as both her mentor and… whatever else he was becoming.

"Let me _go_," she said. "Damon, I'm not kidding, it's not like that." Klaus met her eyes. This had to end now. His pupils dilated and constricted as he used a silent compulsion to command her to stop speaking, now.

"We'll be leaving now," said Klaus to a bewildered Damon, who was now completely convinced Rin was a two-timing, manipulative bitch, just like Katherine. Klaus started to walk away, dragging Rin along with him, but turned back around after taking a few steps. "Oh, and Damon?"

"What?" growled Damon, embarrassed and angry beyond measure.

"Just to remind you to stay the hell away from her—" Klaus pulled his leg back and delivered a swift kick to the sleeping baby rabbits, scattering and probably killing them. The mother awoke suddenly and Klaus leaned down, snatched her up, and ripped out her throat with his teeth before tossing her to the ground. Horrified, Rin opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out – she'd been compelled not to speak, and apparently a scream counted as communication enough to be covered by the compulsion. Damon stared at the body of the mother rabbit, not wanting to look at Rin.

"I see you're still killing everything in your path to make a point. Point taken. Goodbye, Klaus," he said solemnly before rushing back to his car with vampiric speed. He got into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, turning around and speeding away.

Rin looked up at Klaus, eying the rabbit's blood on his lips with horror.

"You can speak again," he told her, revoking his compulsion.

"You're a fucking maniac," she told him, her voice shaking slightly with rage. She couldn't remember the last time she was so angry.

"And you've been a deceitful, lying little brat," said Klaus. "I offered you limitless power and you repay me by going to Damon. As if he could offer you something I can't. Do you expect me to tolerate that?" he asked, still gripping her arm and speaking in a low tone as he glared down at her.

"I wasn't… I just wanted to see him; I wasn't asking him to help me train," she said, doing her best to sound honest. But Klaus already knew the truth. She pushed her roughly to the ground, enraged that she would still lie to her. Immediately, Rin was kicking herself - she shouldn't have even attempted that one.

"How dare you lie to me! I heard you speaking over dinner, and I knew you couldn't have learned how to choose a source all on your own. You needed a mentor, and I was supposed to be your only mentor. I gave you a chance to tell me the truth today and you didn't take it." It took all his willpower not to exact upon her just angry he was. "You will not -I repeat, _will not_ – go back to him." He paused to let out a dry, cynical laugh. "Especially considering now he probably wants absolutely nothing to do with you and your cheating ways," he finished, grinning maniacally at her.

"Alright, fine, I wanted two mentors. So I wanted to become a true goddamn expert, is that so much of a sin?" Klaus scowled at her and didn't say anything for a moment, the image of Damon's hand on her waist flashing into his mind. She didn't only want to become a "true goddamn expert". She wanted to be with Damon, someone Klaus refused to share absolutely anything with, not even Rin, and not even if she was just his student.

"Yes," he said simply before turning on his heel and beginning to walk away.


	14. Cooperation

**AN: Hey guys! So I have a pretty considerable amount of views but I'm not getting a lot of feedback and I'm curious about what you guys think and where you see the story going. So can you write up some reviews for me after this chapter letting me know? I usually don't like to update so much without more input from readers. Thanks so much! (:**

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**Part Fourteen: Cooperation**

Rin stood, brushing herself off and unable to wipe the scowl off her face. It wasn't the fact that she was so obsessed with Damon that she couldn't bear the thought of losing him, her anger stemmed more from the fact that Klaus thought he had a right to swoop and ruin her night.

"Hey, Klaus?" He didn't stop walking but shouted his reply over his shoulder.

"What, love?" There was a distinct edge to his voice.

"I'm not your student anymore," she said evenly. She refused to even take a step forward to follow him. Klaus stopped in his tracks but still did not turn around. He laughed to himself, amused that Rin thought she had that kind of control over the situation. After composing himself, he finally turned to face her.

"Rin, you seemed to be a little confused." He started approaching her, taking a few slow steps forward. "You don't get to decide whether or not you train with me." There was absolutely no way he was letting her go. Without her, his plan would never be able to take action. "You will cooperate, and you will do it on my terms," he said, still approaching her. _I'm going to have to figure out how to control her_, he thought to himself. The menacing approach could only go so far.

"No, Klaus, you don't get to make decisions for me." Rin was still glaring at him, arms crossed over her chest. Klaus stopped a hairsbreadth away from her. She could feel him exhale on her face. Klaus had a knack for using proximity to make her uncomfortable.

"It seems I actually have to clarify this. Unless you cooperate, you have absolutely no value to me. I'm a thousand years old, and perfectly capable of hunting down another telepath. So…" his face slowly morphed into a menacing growl. His fangs protruded vulgarly from his mouth and black veins became visible beneath his eyes. "You listen, or I kill you. Your choice."

It took a great deal of fighting against her instinct to resist stepping away from him. She could see every detail of his pale, animal form, and it was horrifying. She knew that if she were to tap into her powers right now, he would fight back before she had a chance to weaken him enough and probably kill her anyway. So, she simply nodded once and swallowed hard, biting her tongue. Klaus' face immediately turned back to normal.

"Good girl," he said, turning back around. Rin was already planning a way to get around him. There had to be something. She had a feeling Damon would tell Bonnie and her friends what happened, so it wasn't completely out of the question to ask them for advice – after all, they'd been dealing with Klaus a lot longer than she had. "Come on, now, let's go home," he said. Suddenly, he was acting perfectly normal. Rin sighed and followed him through the cornfield, but not before shooting a quick text to Bonnie: "something happened. need to talk to you soon."

"Where's home?" she asked, catching up with him.

"Across town," he replied simply. Rin would see when she got there. Klaus was not in a talking mood. Rin was only wondering how long the walk would be – it was easily past midnight and she hadn't gotten any rest the previous night either, and her car was still at the Grill as well. After about fifteen minutes of walking, she found herself blindly following Klaus into a small wooded area with her eyes half-closed. He glanced back at her after a while and noticed the expression of utter exhaustion on her face.

"Tired?" he asked. Something in his voice didn't seem quite concerned.

"Yes. Very," said Rin quietly. She could have curled up on the ground and fallen asleep then and there – the energy withdrawal combined with genuine human tiredness was really getting to her. Klaus sighed.

"I need you awake," he said simply. Rin's eyes opened completely for a moment. Did he just imply what she thought he was implying?

"Are you saying I can feed on you?" she asked, hopeful. Klaus stopped, sighing. He really did need her awake. He wanted to drag her home and begin their next lesson now, but he couldn't do that with her falling asleep. However, he would probably have to compel her to stop again – the girl had absolutely no restraint. He turned around and leaned against a tree, his head tipping back. He spread his arms wide, gesturing that it was alright.

"Have at it," he said simply. He hoped she wasn't becoming immune to compulsion. He didn't care who she decided to drain to their death, as long as it wasn't him. In a moment, she was in her transformed state and drawing Klaus' energy out into the air in droves. She willed it to enter her mind and realized sucking energy from someone was a thousand times more enjoyable when she didn't need to exert any of it to cause damage as well. Eventually, she stopped sucking into the clouds and jus established a steady stream between Klaus and herself. Klaus, meanwhile, was buckling against the tree. He could feel his body weakening. It was as if he hadn't fed in several days. _How much does she need?_ he wondered. He was fairly certain she was just being greedy. That, or getting her revenge.

In reality, revenge was the last thing on her mind. She was simply exhausted and wanted enough energy to hold her over for several days, and so far, Klaus' was the best quality. She would deal with the Damon issue later – she was confident that she could convince Damon that Klaus was making all that up about them being in a relationship.

After several more minutes, Klaus was getting to the point of exhaustion. "You don't need all this," he said, struggling to maintain his voice's level tone. "Stop," he said. He wasn't attempting compulsion yet, hoping she would listen to him. Now he was tired as well and using compulsion would only exhaust him further. "Rin! For fuck's sake!" He would not beg her again, not after what had just happened in the cornfield.

Rin heard his voice in the back of her mind and looked away, remembering what Damon had shown her earlier. _But it's Klaus_, she thought. If she killed him now, it would solve her problems.

She recalled Damon's words over dinner. _You don't gain anything from murder. _Was that true? Did she want to know through experience? Something told her no. Sighing, she dropped the transformation as well as the energy draw. She couldn't kill him.

Klaus found his footing and straightened out, cracking his neck. She'd released him, and he didn't even have to compel her.

"Right. Let's continue, then." He started in the direction they'd been walking before and Rin noticed he was walking more slowly. She, on the other hand, felt like she could fly. Once again, Klaus' life force was flooding her brain, and it made her feel incredible. She could see through the darkness of the forest. Everything felt like it was either more real than before or not quite as tangible, she couldn't tell.

Klaus was suddenly overwhelmed by his thirst, but he knew it was be counterproductive to feed on her now. He would have to wait.

Damon, meanwhile, returned home shortly after what happened in the cornfield. He slammed the door behind him and crashed onto the couch, flipping on the TV. The fact that Rin had been cheating on someone bothered him more than the fact that she wasn't into him after all – this always seemed to happen to him. That, or the girl just went and died, like Rose did. Katherine, Elena – they both cared for Stefan more. But Stefan was one thing, Rin was into _Klaus_. That was a whole new level of crazy. At least Stefan wasn't a maniacal, power-hungry killer.

Sighing, he wondered when he would return home with Elena. As if on cue, the door opened and the two of them walked in. Neither of them noticed him on the couch as Stefan pushed her against the wall next to the door, kissing her hungrily. Damon closed his eyes tight as he heard a tiny groan escape her lips.

"Guys, seriously, take it upstairs," he snapped, annoyed. He did not need this right now. In a flash and without a word, both vampires were gone. Damon's heart sank. No matter what he did, there was no way he could get over the fact that Stefan had the girl he loved, probably forever. And on top of it, it seemed like he couldn't even rebound with Rin.

He scrolled through the guide, feeling defeated and sorry for himself as he tried to block out the sounds of his brother and Elena's torrid lovemaking upstairs.

Klaus and Rin were now walking along a quiet road, nearly at the Mikaelson Estate. Klaus was desperate for a drink before he returned home – Elijah had some blood bags in the fridge but he wanted it warm and fresh. It was simply a pity that he couldn't just feed on Rin, considering she was wandering alone with him at night. If she were anyone else, she would have probably deserved it.

"Are we close?" asked Rin. It was the first thing she'd said since she'd been allowed to feed on him.

"Yes, almost there," said Klaus absently. He was waiting for someone to walk by. Rin didn't reply. Within minutes, Klaus spotted a teenage boy crossing the street in front of them. Without waiting for Rin to react, he used the last of his energy to speed over to the boy, immediately biting into him viciously. Rin stopped in her tracks. She'd never seen a vampire feed on someone else.

Klaus was ruthless – he wasn't being careful, as he had with her. He had no concern for this boy's life. Rin knew better than to cry out for him to stop. It wouldn't have had any effect. Not a minute later, Klaus was done. He dropped the boy's body to the side of the road and looked back her, waiting for her to catch up. She'd simply stood by and watched the whole thing. His chin was dripping grotesquely with gore, completely unlike the delicate drop from the night before.

"So that's what they keep calling an animal attack," she said as she approached him. She wouldn't show it, but it shook her that he could kill so mercilessly. She knew that he would do the same to her if she was caught disobeying him again. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"Indeed he is. We're here," said Klaus as they turned a corner. Before them was a massive white house Klaus led her inside, hoping Rebekah wasn't home. He had no such luck.

"Klaus, do you smell—" She stopped as she noticed both the massive amount of blood on his face and the human girl next to him. "Oh. Her. So you've been meeting a human girl every night. Wow." Rebekah crossed her arms and shifted her hip to one side.

This was _not_ what she had expected. What was he up to?


	15. Changing the Rules

**AN: Guys I'm seriously lacking in reviews! Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far but I really, really need more feedback ):**

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**Part Fifteen: Changing the Rules**

Bonnie rolled over as her phone beeped. She'd been trying to sleep but something was bothering her, and she couldn't figure out what it was. Her phone indicated that she had a new text from Rin. "something happened. need to talk to you soon." Bonnie raised a brow – this was unusual. It was not unlike Rin to come to her for advice but it sounded like she was in some kind of trouble. She shot off a reply, not expecting another til morning. "what's up?" Turns out, she was wrong. Rin was still awake, despite it being around one AM. She got a reply almost immediately. "i made a deal with klaus too. he convinced damon we're dating. we're not. k will off me if i don't cooperate." She got another text immediately after. "don't be mad. :/"

Bonnie sat straight up in bed and gave Damon a call with no answer. Did Rin really have to go and make a deal with the guy everyone warned her against? _Great_, she thought. _Now we have to prevent him from killing another person._ It seemed every time someone got involved with Klaus the gang had more work to do to prevent him from slaughtering whoever decided to work with him.

Rin locked her phone after she sent the text, hoping Bonnie wouldn't reprimand her and wondering when she would get a reply. She felt like a hostage and wanted out, soon. Klaus had told her to wait here, in the piano room with Rebekah, while he mysteriously disappeared to another room in the house with no explanation and a promise to return soon. She sighed. She could hear sounds in the kitchen. It seemed like he was preparing food. Rin wondered if he was perhaps trying to make some kind of late-night, gory vampire snack. Perhaps it was extremely grotesque and he didn't want Rin to see or something. It seemed ridiculous, but she couldn't think of what Klaus could be doing that was so secret.

Rebekah was reading a newspaper, something that not only looked like an anachronistic activity for some reason, but surprised Rin – why would an original vampire be concerned with the news? She decided to ask for the sake of making conversation.

"Does the news really intrigue you?" Rebekah looked up, placing the newspaper down on the ancient mahogany desk and flipped her hair as she looked over at Rin.

"No, it doesn't. What does intrigue me, however, is what you're meeting my brother for. Why would he be interested in a human girl?" Rebekah had a voice like bells, with a certain innocent tone beneath the biting words. Rin stared at Rebekah, sighing slowly.

"Have you even met your brother? Why would I want anything to do with him romantically?" So Rebekah was wrong – Klaus was actually not meeting a girlfriend. Disappointed, she looked away momentarily and then back at Rin.

"Of course. He must have done something to force you to be here. Obviously you're part of one of his schemes. Do you know what he's up to?" she asked, genuinely curious and slightly concerned about the fate Klaus probably already had set up for this poor girl. It struck her that there was a chance Rin might actually know what was going on and she could finally find out what scheme Klaus thought was so top-secret he wouldn't even use Rebekah to accomplish it. Alas, she was not quite so lucky.

"No, he never told me what he needs me for." Rebekah raised a brow. This was disappointing as well as unusual.

"Then why are you here?" she asked. Klaus had to have used some leverage. Rin wasn't in the mood to share her weird powers with anyone new, not even a vampire.

"He offered me something I couldn't resist," she said simply. Rebekah nodded slowly as Rin ran a hand through her curled hair. She was surprised at how long it had maintained its curl – it was barely looking straighter. _What the hell is Klaus up to?_ she wondered.

"Trust me, where Klaus is involved – if there's something you can't resist, there will always be a catch." Rin's gaze wandered to the ceiling.

"I'm figuring that out now," she said. "The over-possessiveness is kind of getting me." It struck Rebekah that Klaus was seemingly incapable of being interested in, let alone possessive of, people he wasn't using. She sighed and pursed her lips, not sure if she should feel jealous or simply look down on her jerk of a brother.

"Ah, well. There'll be a bigger catch. I guess you'll find out when he wants you to," she said, picking up the newspaper again. Klaus then returned. He'd changed his clothes from the jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing before to a black suit with a stark white shirt and red tie. A smile spread across his lips as he walked in and spread his arms wide, formally welcoming his guest to the house.

"We're having dinner," he said warmly, dropping his arms to his sides. Rin frowned. This was bizarre, and she wasn't hungry at all. She was actually feeling perfectly content with the explosive energy flowing through her body and mind, despite the slight damper Rebekah's conversation had put on her ecstasy.

"What do you mean 'dinner'?" she asked, suspicious. Klaus started pacing, holding his fingers behind his back, as if glad she'd asked.

"I want to show you that I can offer you more than any other mentor, and what cooperation with me can bring you," he said simply. _At least he's openly admitting to bribery instead of denying it,_ thought Rin, resisting the urge to roll her eyes again. "It's more than just the dinner."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. _How very Klaus-like_, she thought to herself. This girl was a goner.

"So… you're trying to bribe me?" she asked, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I'm going to give you incentive to obey me," said Klaus, not quite denying what Rin had suggested. Rin decided she could humor Klaus' nonsense for now – she was in a good enough mood what with her energy high – and stood up, brushing herself off slowly and pushing aside her suspicions for the moment.

"Alright, what're we having?" she asked. The whole situation was a little entertaining beneath the creepiness since it seemed like Klaus was basically trying to replicate what her and Damon had been doing just a couple of hours ago. In reality, Klaus was just winning people over the second best way he knew – with gifts. In this case, an exquisite dinner.

"You'll know in a moment," he said. Rin jokingly pictured a human head on a plate, or something equally revolting.

Rin followed Klaus into the dining room, which was across the first floor. What met her there was exceedingly shocking – he had managed to whip everything up fairly quickly. Unlike most vampires, Klaus had developed a taste for the finest of human dining, even after becoming a hybrid. Mastering the culinary arts, along with oil painting, were his pretentious, thousand-year-old vampire hobbies. There was a long cherrywood dining table in the center of the luxurious, high-ceilinged dining room, set with a gold-and-white brocade runner. There were two place settings, one on either end of the table, each with a silver dome over the plate. It smelled lovely. "Have a seat," said Klaus, gesturing to one of the place settings. Rin noticed the look on his face – like a child attempting to impersonate an adult. This was his game. He'd had a profound mood swing since the cornfield. The extravagance he'd gone to forced Rin to return to her suspicion. This was a bit much.

She took her seat, not letting her distrust quite show on her face. The last thing she wanted to do was look scared.

"Klaus, this is really strange." Rebekah, who'd been eavesdropping, heard her from the opposite side of the house and raised a brow. This was not strange at all; this was Klaus continuing to believe that he could manipulate or coerce people into valuing him and his requests and acting upon that belief. He took his seat at the opposite end of the table.

"Just trying to show you how strongly I feel about keeping your loyalty," Rin stared at him, unmoving.

"So did you actually believe the bullshit you fed Damon back there or something? Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not your girlfriend, Klaus." Klaus' unwavering smile spoke volumes about the insincerity that lay within him just beneath the surface.

"This is not a _date_, Rin. This is better. It is a testament to our mutually beneficial deal." He raised his wine glass and raised it in her direction. Rin didn't react. Undeterred, he shrugged slightly and took a sip from it himself before placing it back down on the table and uncovering his plate. Beneath lay filet mignon, mashed potatoes with a well of gravy, and a pile of corn, all on a bed of lettuce.

"Mutually beneficial? You threatened to kill me just an hour ago." Rin lifted the lid off her own plate, revealing the same thing. She was shocked to discover that it was well-done. Glancing at Klaus' plate across the table, she noted that his was rare.

Klaus picked up his knife and fork and began eating, and Rin mirrored his actions after placing her napkin in her lap. She wouldn't return his toast but while she was here, she might as well eat well, even if she wasn't hungry in the slightest. To her surprise, the filet mignon was some of the best she'd ever had. _I guess a thousand years of practice does that._

"I've decided to change the rules slightly," said Klaus, ready to win her over with his pitch. He reminded himself how important it was to keep her loyalty – if he lost it, he would have to kill her, and his plan would be a failure.


	16. Mind Games

**AN: Thanks to VampireJacinta and my anonymous reviewer for your feedback! Please leave more after this chapter! Thank you so much (:**

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**Part Sixteen: Mind Games**

Rin took a sip of her wine between small bites of the filet mignon. It was truly melting in her mouth. Despite his other drawbacks, Klaus was a surprisingly excellent chef.

"And how, exactly, are you changing the rules?" she asked, wondering what else he could offer her besides nearly limitless power. Klaus took a slow sip of his wine and placed on the table. He took cut another piece of the filet mignon and bit the bloody meat off his fork. Even when eating human food, Klaus was distinctly vampire-like. He chewed quickly and swallowed before speaking.

"First let's go over the deal as it is. I teach you how to harness your powers in order to develop them into a powerful set of skills. You must not accept mentorship from any other party, especially not from the Salvatore brothers and their friends. Apparently, I did not make that clear earlier. In return, you complete a request that I will tell you about when you have stronger abilities and are capable of understanding what I want." From the other room, Rebekah nodded, finally understanding – Klaus was interested in her because she could do something he couldn't. Interesting.

"So, essentially, I can't speak to anyone but you, and if I do, I have to deal with you threatening my life," Rin added.

"No, love, you simply aren't going to accept mentorship from anyone else. That's all. I've decided to look the other way if you wish to speak with or befriend the Salvatores and their friends. However, you must not plot against me or my plans, either with them or alone."

"Ah, a miracle indeed. Never have I tasted such freedom," said Rin.

"Now, don't get too excited just yet. I'm going to offer you something more." Klaus took another excruciatingly slow sip from his glass. Rin could feel the energy ebbing away from her, ever so slowly. She suddenly experienced a small wave of loss and desire to drain Klaus again.

"And what might that be?" Klaus placed his wine back in its place and put his elbows on the table, leaning forward, as if about to present a business proposal.

"I will allow you to feed off me, to a limit. Up to once a day, and you are not to drain me to the point of complete exhaustion." Rin's heart skipped a beat. It was as if he'd read her mind. She'd picked up on the fact that everyone's life force felt different, and she could tell Klaus' was exquisite. Unlimited access to it? Her mind started racing. She understood what he was doing – offering her much more than he had before, but not only as bribery. Rin knew no one could mentor her quite like the original hybrid in matters of attack. He knew Rin could seriously damage him, but now she would not, since if she damaged him too much, Klaus would no longer offer the attack training. He was giving her access to as much of what she wanted as she liked as well as strong incentive to control herself.

He was doing what she had originally considered to be Damon's job as well as his own. Klaus went into the next part of his proposal, assuming Rin had figured out what he was doing.

"I've also decided to add that as long as I don't find out you're accepting help from another source or plotting against me in any way, I won't threaten your life or put you in danger again." Rin realized this sounded like a wonderful prospect, but there was still a major loophole.

"But the threat from earlier still stands?" Klaus dropped the caramelized, disingenuous smile. It was now time to be serious if he really wanted to win her over.

"If I find you crossing me again, I may kill you. I may not," he said, taking another bite of his steak. Rin blinked, processing this.

Klaus was fairly sure she would use this opportunity to believe that he would not end her life if she crossed him. He wanted to know if she would stay loyal to him on her own accord, not just because her life was in danger. However, the threat was still there – just far enough into the realm of possibility for her to think twice about her actions.

In reality, Rin could see right through this offer as well, and it was much less beneficial to her than the previous one. She knew he was giving her a chance to believe there was goodness in him. He'd set it up by giving her something else she'd wanted. He was trying to make her believe there was more goodness to him than she'd originally thought. He wanted her to think that because he was offering this token of kindness, there was a chance he would offer another in the future.

Unfortunately for him, he overestimated her tendency towards optimism.

From a broader perspective, it was quite clear that he had treated her like shit and was now treating her slightly less like shit in order to make her feel as if what he was doing now was a gift. She knew better than to trust that he would spare her should she get caught going against his will again, but the daily energy he was offering her… it was too tempting. She flashed a cold, yet pleasantly surprised smile at him. She would make him believe she trusted him, if only for the sake of feeding on him every day, forcing herself to learn self-control, and keeping him less likely to investigate her actions in his spare time.

"That sounds like an excellent addition to our deal," she said, feigning an inability to see right through his mind games. Klaus failed to realize that Rin was just as talented in the arts of manipulation and coerciveness as he was, and she'd mastered those particular skills in a fraction of the years he had taken to learn them. She would walk into one of his proposals and lead him to believe she was walking into both. She would take what he had to offer, but she would never, ever let him believe she trusted his goodwill.

Rebekah, meanwhile, was still listening to them talking and laughing internally at Rin's mistakes. To Rebekah, it seemed as if the human girl was simply walking right into Klaus' tactics. She would recognize them anywhere as well, not because she was manipulative herself, but because she had fallen victim to them so many times.

"Excellent," said Klaus, putting up his saccharine smile once more as he took another bite of his steak. "Tonight I realized I wasn't offering you quite enough for you to stay loyal to me; this is all only fair, after all." Rin had to resist laughing at that one – he was really rubbing it in.

"I'd have to agree," she said, sure to inject a level of surprise into her voice. "You know, you're not as bad as I thought, Klaus." Two could play at the lying game.

"Most come to realize that after some time," said Klaus with a slightly rueful smile. If she didn't know any better, he would have sounded like a horribly misunderstood victim of someone else's bullshit instead of the perpetrator of his own. Rin raised her glass, making up for the toast she's refused earlier.

"To a deal," she said frostily, smiling slightly. He returned the gesture.

"To a deal." The two drank and placed their glasses back on the table, near finishing their dinner. _A toast to my "positive" attitude regarding the goodwill of others,_ she corrected in her mind.

_To a small victory on the path to gaining what I want,_ corrected Klaus in his.


	17. Making Messes

**AN: Many thanks to VampireJacinta, my faithful reviewer, as well as Stark-Lannister for giving me some feedback! I'm trying to get more reviews on the whole since feedback is all I have to go off when I'm trying to determine whether or not this story is any good. So far, you guys seem to like it! But please tell me what you think about the way it's developing! **

**Thank you so much everyone. Happy reading. This chapter is one of my favorites so far. (:**

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**Part Seventeen: Making Messes**

"So they're not a thing," said Damon. "How could I have not _seen_ that? Klaus lied to control her. Of _course_." It was the next day, after school, and Bonnie had just recounted the text message she'd received from Rin the night before. Damon was kicking himself for letting his self-pity get the best of him once again.

"Yeah, and apparently she's in some trouble. I'm a little more concerned about that," replied Bonnie. She was getting the vibe that Damon was missing the most important part of the situation – that Klaus was once again manipulating someone, using Rin's own life against her. Damon wasn't sure what to make of this – should he do what Bonnie was asking and help get Klaus to release Rin from his clutches? Somehow, it didn't seem quite possible just yet. They had absolutely no leverage over the original vampire at the moment.

"Something tells saving the damsel in distress isn't going to work," said Damon. "We have nothing to use against him."

"Who's a damsel in distress?" asked Rin, who was walking into the living room behind Elena.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late – had some chemistry stuff to catch up on after school," said the brunette vampire. "Rin asked me if she could catch a ride here with me after school. She filled me in on all the Klaus stuff." Rin was feeling well-rested despite her late night – after she'd gotten home she'd managed to catch a healthy amount of sleep and even though her energy buzz wore off completely while she was sleeping, she woke up feeling like the aggravating situation she'd landed herself into with Klaus was becoming slightly less miserable. In fact, it was suddenly a great deal less aggravating.

Bonnie raised a brow when she saw Rin – she was wearing a bright yellow, loose tank top and blue jeans with All-Stars and aviators. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she looked radiant, much unlike her haggard appearance from the last few days.

"Rin! Hey, are you alright?" she asked, wondering if something had changed within the last eighteen hours or so. She'd figured Rin would look slightly more worn down after being harassed by Klaus. Just being with Klaus for more than fifteen minutes at a time gave Bonnie a headache.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Rin, dropping her purse onto an ancient-looking easy chair in the living room. "I actually wanted to come by and let you guys know in person that I'm alright. I talked to Klaus and we worked it out."

Damon rolled his eyes but took it at face-value. At least he wasn't manipulating her or using her as a feeding bunny. No one was allowed to do that to hot human girls except for Damon.

"I hear you're not really dating," said Damon, slightly stiffly. Rin nodded at him, raising her eyebrows and smiling a little in an "I-told-you-so" fashion.

"Yeah, way to not believe me," she said, still a bit bristled about that whole ordeal. She made a mental note to get back at Klaus for that someday.

"He has a history of miserable, gloomy relationships," said Bonnie matter-of-factly. Damon Salvatore was truly the king of suffering a messy ending every single time.

"Got it. Well, we'll have to discuss that later. I've gotta run soon. I just wanted to let you guys know that Klaus isn't controlling me. I'm allowed to talk to you all and it's not an issue; I just can't accept mentorship from Damon anymore." It was all Bonnie could do to keep her jaw from dropping.

"Wait a minute. You weren't allowed to _talk_ to us before?" she said, exchanging a glance with Elena. "And you can't let Damon help you control your powers but you can accept help from Klaus, who's a maniacal, power-hungry original vampire with a track record of worldwide serial killing. This doesn't sound good, Rin."

"He agreed to teach me self-control as well," she said simply. She wasn't in the mood to argue. It was quite clear that Bonnie was only worried about her, but she wasn't in the mood to defend Klaus any more than anyone else was. Right now, all that mattered was that things were looking up, even if they weren't ideal. Eventually, things with Klaus would be over and that would be that. But for now, she would power through it all for the lessons.

"How the _hell _is Klaus going to do a better job of teaching you self-control than any of us?" asked Elena, a little peeved. Rin hadn't mentioned this part of the story in the car. Rin sighed.

"Guys, I really don't want to talk about it right now .The point is that he's not running my life anymore. He has good reasons for not wanting me to accept training from more than one person at a time. And I'm okay with that. I'm actually gonna go meet him now," she said. It hadn't occurred to her how hard it would be for her friends to accept her situation. She picked up her purse and sighed. "Can you guys just leave it alone for now? I'll let you know if he does anything stupid but he's promised not to put me in danger or anything like that."

The group was still not anywhere near convinced. They were all intimately familiar with the fact that alliances with Klaus always ended up badly, but it seemed like there was nothing they could do to convince her right now. Rin said her goodbyes and walked outside.

"Is she under compulsion or something?" Elena asked no one in particular.

"I have no idea, but one of us needs to find out," said Stefan, walking in as he towel-dried his hair. He'd heard the whole correspondence from upstairs, where he was taking a shower. Everyone nodded in silence, each figuring out their own way to find out if Rin was doing this on her own accord of Klaus had more of a handle on her than she was letting on.

Rin got in her car and was about to start the engine when she bristled in shock – Klaus was sitting in the passenger seat, a Cheshire-like grin on his face.

"Do you _need_ to do that?" she asked, starting the engine.

"I heard your friends think you're under compulsion," said Klaus, still grinning.

"Is that what they said after I left? How interesting. Stop sneaking into my personal space." Rin did not try to take any of the disdain out of her voice. She hated when he did this.

"I'll do my best, love. We're going to the edge of the river. I want you practicing on animals."

"Why animals?" asked Rin as she put some pressure on the accelerator while rolling the window down. It was especially hot today.

"Because it's easy to see if you're having an effect on them," replied Klaus. He was slowly teaching Rin how to get into the minds of others, but that was a big task – it was important to take it one step at a time.

They parked at the edge of the forest preserve around the river and marched about a half-mile in with Klaus leading the way slightly. Rin had worn flip-flops – an unwise decision considering the uneven terrain – and managed to slip slightly as they were going downhill. Klaus whipped around just in time to watch her instinctively reach for the first thing she could find. She let out a stifled grunt of pain as her hand wrapped around the thorny branches of a dry bush. After finding her footing, she winced as she pulled her hand away from the branch. Instantly, tiny droplets of blood began to form on her skin. She instantly curled her hand up into a fist, trying to squeeze away the string, and pushed out more blood in the process.

"You've cut yourself," said Klaus. He couldn't help but experience a small thrill at this – it was quite handy that Rin was still human and when she hurt herself it had the potential to provide a snack. He grinned a little, moving towards her to reach for her hand. "Let me see." Rin unconsciously tried to tug her wrist away. She could already see the faint outline of veins forming beneath his eyes. However, they suddenly faded away. "I'm not going to feed on you again, Rin." Now there was a slight edge to his voice – he didn't seem to appreciate any degree of opposition, however small. _What exactly am I afraid of?_ thought Rin suddenly. Last time he'd fed on her, she not only invited it, but she'd ended up enjoying it. She drew in a long, impatient sigh and uncurled her hand, revealing a palm stained heavily with red. Klaus cocked his head to the side, surveying the damage. "From what I remember about being human, if you don't clean a wound quickly, it can get infected," he said with the smile of a hunter as he eyed the tiny pricks in her hand. He looked up to meet her gaze as he heard her heart rate gain several beats per minute.

"That's true, it can," said Rin simply. She wondered if what she was feeling now was fear, anticipation, or a combination of both. Was her minor wound tempting him? Would he bite her again, despite what he'd said?

Slowly, he pulled her arm slightly closer, using his fingers to stretch out her palm even more as he watched her every move. Rin refused to resist and merely stared him down, eyes slightly wide with curiosity. The memory of the last time he'd fed on her was still startlingly fresh in her mind. It occurred to her, somewhere, in the back of her mind, that it was slightly sick for her to want to be fed upon by a monster – it was dangerous, and self-injurious. But it had felt too good the last time.

Still painstakingly slowly, he leaned down a little. He then lifted her hand just a bit before flashing a predatory smile and ran his tongue along the length of her palm. Klaus delighted in hearing her heart beat even harder. A million possibilities popped in Rin's mind – would he bite her wrist? Her _hand_? She was sure the latter would hurt far too much. He'd bite through bone. Her arm twitched just a little as she instinctively tugged on it to get herself out of the potential danger, but she stopped herself almost immediately, remembering that she didn't want him to think she was afraid. Klaus noticed this, however, and held her wrist more tightly. He licked her hand a few more times, still looking up at her with an entertained glint in his eye, before sucking lightly on the base of her knuckles, where the blood had pooled to some extent. Somewhere beneath her worry, it occurred to Rin that Klaus was toying with her, and it was bordering on sexual.

"What are you doing?" she asked. The evenness of her voice surprised her. Klaus immediately dropped her hand and straightened out.

"Cleaning up your mess," he said curtly before turning on his heel to continue leading her into the forest.

"More like having a snack." Rin couldn't believe him. What he'd just done truly cut it very close to a line she wasn't sure if she wanted to cross. She hadn't thought about it much before. Sure, there was some casual flirtation, but that was to get on his nerves. She'd never actually considered what it would be like to be _with_ Klaus, in a physical way. They continued the rest of the walk in considerable silence as Rin pondered this. She recalled his words from the first few times they'd met – "_I wouldn't want sexual favors from you. I prefer my women to have more stamina._" Obviously, he wasn't interested either.

She decided it was best to leave it at that. She had training to focus on, and this was no time to think about screwing her mentor, especially considering what a crazed, secretive lunatic he was.

In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but admit that she'd enjoyed having him lick her wound. Once again, Klaus had made being hunted more of a thrill than the hunt itself.


	18. The Ducks

**AN: My thanks go out to VampireJacinta, Queen of Reviews, as well as IdaRose89. I realize Breezy's name is pretty weird but it suits her xD**

**I can't decide which chapter I like better – this one or the previous one! Things are getting a little heated between Klaus and Rin lately. :3**

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**Part Eighteen: The Ducks**

A short while later, the two of them reached the edge of the river where a flock of ducks were enjoying a dip. It was easily eighty degrees outside, with only a hint of occasional cloudiness. Though they were in a forest preserve, the shade of the trees didn't protect them from the heat of the sun very much. It was barely two degrees cooler than it had been on the street.

"I think I have a strong suspicion about what you want me to do here," said Rin. Her words broke a long period of silence. She was tired of pondering what had happened earlier.

"Really? What do you suspect?" asked Klaus, turning to face her. He'd been walking in front of her this whole time and was approaching the ducks, as if perhaps trying to scare them. Rin wasn't sure, and she didn't ask.

"I'm thinking you want me to change the temperature to see if they get out of the water?" It seemed like the reasonable thing to do. But did Klaus ever condone the reasonable thing to do?

Apparently, sometimes.

"That's precisely what I want you to do," he said, pleased at her deduction. If there was one thing he could always appreciate about Rin, it was the fact that she was intelligent. Thank God the first telepath he found was someone he could tolerate intellectually.

Rin was a pleasantly surprised that she'd been right. She decided this would be a chance for her to figure out the balance between using the energy she gathered and saving it for herself. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought again of draining Klaus – no matter how many times she was allowed to do so, it never got less exciting. Thinking about her mind buzzing with his life force was just too intoxicating to ever forget.

"Alright, can I start?" she asked.

"A little eager, are we?" he retorted, amused. "Am I that much fun to drain?" She looked at him, a dead stare on her face.

"Short answer? Yes." She marched over to the river's edge, pulled off her Chucks, and rolled up the cuffs of her jeans to just below her knee. She needed to cool down a little – it was way too hot to focus and she wanted to start as soon as possible. Sitting with her feet in the water, she closed her eyes, concentrating on drawing energy.

It only took her a few seconds to get the flow going – she could feel its presence in the air behind her but she didn't need to turn and look to suck it into her mind. It was becoming a fairly simple process to her now; controlling her powers at will. She opened her eyes and looked down – her feet seemed a little farther away. She'd gotten taller. As Klaus' energy began to fill her mind, she remembered not to drain him completely. It would be a challenge, but she would stick to it – _without_ requiring compulsion.

It vaguely occurred to her that Klaus was sitting next to her. She wasn't sure exactly how much she'd drained him but she did hear what he said to her.

"Rin. The _ducks_." It was all she could do not to laugh. It wasn't the fact that he was being absurd or anything like that – no, it was important for her to practice – but the way he'd said it was so dramatic it almost felt like a joke. Choking back her laughter, she turned to look at him.

"The ducks. The ducks." She flashed a crooked smile and Klaus frowned, taking in her bizarre appearance. Her too-wide, pale eyes and unnatural cheekbones were a complete anachronism here in the forest preserve, in broad daylight. Previously, in the dark, her creepy appearance was almost natural. But outside, during the day? Klaus was a little surprised at just how odd she looked. Almost undead.

He had to remind himself that she was very, very much alive – on _his_ energy. He was beginning to feel a little sore and tired, as he had before, but he noticed that this time she wasn't drawing all his life force out in droves. She was pacing herself. Excellent.

Receiving no reaction but a strange look from Klaus, Rin turned her attention back to the ducks. She decided to focus her attention on one duck for now, not wanting to expend all her new energy at once. She thought about making it feel colder and suddenly it was stock-still. It turned its head abruptly to look at its surroundings, confused. Suddenly, it was rushing to the edge of the river, as if it couldn't get there fast enough. When it got out of the water, it shook off its feathers and waited, still confused. Satisfied, Rin dropped her hold over the poor animal and turned back to Klaus, looking normal again.

"What do you think? I think that went well," she said, a little too quickly. She was at the peak of her buzz. Klaus, meanwhile, was pretty exhausted, but not nearly as tired as he'd been when Rin had drained him previously.

"Yes, that was good. I noticed you only acted upon a single duck," said Klaus pointedly. Rin looked at him blankly, wondering why he was surprised.

"I'm hoarding your energy."

"I'd really prefer it if you used it to practice," said Klaus. Rin noted the ever-so-slight dark patches under his eyes that she could have sworn hadn't been there before.

"I'd really prefer to use it like this," said Rin, standing. For a moment, she lingered by the edge of the water, taking in its beautiful clarity and the way it flowed ever so slowly over the smooth rocks at the bottom. "Were you heading out?" Klaus raised a brow and smiled a little, entertained.

"I see how it is. You complete your lesson half-heartedly and then ask the mentor to leave. Interesting. Is this how you approach your formal schooling as well?" Rin smiled sweetly. It was a little exciting to know she'd gotten Klaus to joke around on his own accord – he wasn't often in a good mood, and especially not after she'd fed on him.

"Only sometimes," she said. "Seriously though, were you going? Because it's way too hot out here and I want to go for a swim." Klaus leaned back, resting on his hands and looking up at her.

"Oh, was my being here interrupting you? Did I say you couldn't do that?" he asked. Was she imagining things in her energy high, or was Klaus seriously poking fun at her for more than two seconds at a time? She mock-glared at him.

"Even if you had, it wouldn't have stopped me," she said, turning away from him. She pulled her tank top over her head in one, swift motion, and tugged her jeans off as well, knowing full well that she was giving him a spectacular view of more of her tawny skin than he'd ever had a chance to see in such broad daylight. What she didn't see, however, was Klaus' quick glance away from her – for a split second, it felt strange to be looking at her in her usual black underwear right now. It was one thing when they were on worse terms and didn't know each other well, but now that they were more friendly with each other, it didn't feel right. Almost as if he were violating her. However, the feeling passed and he looked back just in time to watch her dip into the water. The tip of her long ponytail instantly clung to her back. She closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath. In the blazing August heat, the water felt absolutely exquisite as it flowed around her body. It felt even better now that she had Klaus' energy enhancing the experience. Klaus could almost feel the ecstasy she was experiencing. The stillness of her body didn't seem calm; it seemed like she was buzzing with so much excitement and life that she didn't know what to do with herself. So she was still.

A few moments later, she whipped around and saw him watching her but didn't think much of it.

"The water is incredible. If you're not leaving you should get in. It's amazing," she said, almost in a daze. She could barely maintain eye contact with him, feeling too tempted to look around at the beauty of the forest and take in all its sights with her new, high-definition vision.

"I'm really alright, thanks," said Klaus, looking up at the patch of sky beyond the tree canopy. Should he? He hadn't swum, really, since sneaking up on Rin that first night, and that could hardly be considered swimming. Rin pouted a little – another uncharacteristic behavior that could be chalked up to her buzz – and sighed.

"Suit yourself, deadbeat. You're missing out!" she said as she dipped underwater, her hair pooling around her like it had that night. Klaus cocked his head, smiling to himself. Silently and within moments, he was waiting behind her in the water in his dark red boxers. He waited patiently for her to need a breath and as she came up for air, he placed his hands on her bare shoulders, seizing them. Unable to control herself, Rin let out short scream. When she was done, Klaus leaned in to her ear.

"Boo," he said simply, satisfied that he'd gotten such a strong reaction. Rin sans Klaus-energy would never have let herself scream like that. She whipped around as he released her and splashed water on his face, her heart beating at a mile a minute.

"I swear to God, you can't just—" She was cut off by nothing short of a tidal wave of water crashing into her face. "Ugh!" After wiping furiously as her eyes, a small smudge of black brushing her lower lashes was all that was left of her makeup. "I can't even—" She was cut off again by another massive tsunami. As the water settled she could hear Klaus laughing at her relentlessly in the background.

"That's totally unfair; you can't use goddamn _Superman strength_ against _me_, Klaus!" She half-heartedly swiped at the water again, a tiny sprinkle hitting his face.

"Why not? You called me a deadbeat," he said, getting a kick out of watching her squirm. For a human, it was pretty tough to get a reaction out of Rin. Humans generally bent to his whim almost immediately. But she was resistant, and getting her to scream and show her frustration excited him.

Still in an HD daze from her buzz, she stormed closer to him and put both hands on his shoulders, pushing him back. Klaus didn't even budge, but bemused smile grew wider. Unsatisfied, Rin tried once more to push him, still to no avail. Klaus wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled them closer to her. Rin knew he was going to push her back into the water; she could see it on his face. Glaring mercilessly, she finally managed to keep eye contact and braced herself for the impact she would soon feel on her back.

In a second, she felt a massive shove as Klaus pushed her backwards. She nearly lost her footing at the bottom of the river and held her breath, but to her surprise, she didn't fall beneath the water. Klaus was still holding onto her wrists with the same bemused smile on his face. He pulled her back to her balance and continued grinning down at her. Eyes wide, she gaped up at him, unsure of how to react. It occurred to her how silly she was acting and a wave of adrenaline swept through her. What was she doing, this close to him? With his hands on her wrists, nearly naked in the river. Reality suddenly struck and her gaze dipped down to his lips and back up to his eyes. What was _he_ doing?

"Still a deadbeat?"

"I swear to God, I _hate_—" She stopped as Klaus released her wrists and took a step back. Suddenly, he was back to normal and looking intently at a thick cluster of trees about twenty feet away from the edge of the water.

"There's someone here," he said evenly. In a flash, he was out of the water with his dark jeans and shoes back on. He threw his shirt over his shoulder and started walking away quickly. "Get home," he said over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods.

At a total loss, she didn't try to stop him. She was already kicking herself through her buzz. A trend was becoming apparent here: whenever she was high off his energy, she found herself doing stupid things, and it was horribly disconcerting. As she watched him walk away, she tried to figure out if she was imagining things of if he really had been watching her as she dipped into the water. And who was there, in the woods? What was going on here?!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down through her buzz. She wrung out her hair and waded through the water, about to get out. Before she could reach the edge, however, someone came out of the forest. It was a girl, wandering slowly, almost as if she was lost.

"Rin! Hey, Rin!" she shouted through the thick layer of trees. _What the hell?_ It was Marissa.

"Marissa? What are you doing here?" Marissa grinned as she got closer to the water. "Smoking a J, yo," she said, raising the item in question high in the air for Rin to see. Rin couldn't help but laugh. "Wanna help me finish it?"

"Hell yeah." Rin smiled as she emerged from the water, taking a seat on the edge and grabbing the joint from Marissa. She would have to rinse off after smoking. As she took a hit, she realized two things. One, that this was her first time smoking as well as being buzzed off of Klaus' life force. And two, that Marissa was probably the person Klaus had seen in the woods._ So there was nothing to worry about_, she thought to herself as she passed the joint back to her friend.

"You've got to take a dip when we're done. The water's great," she said, not wanting to swim alone when the joint was finished.

"Definitely," said Marissa before taking a hit.

While they smoked, Rin wondered what would have happened if Klaus hadn't left so quickly.


	19. Sibling Rivalry

**AN: Once again, my thanks go out to VampireJacinta (yes, you are truly a queen of reviews and you absolutely **_**should**_** feel like royalty), and photochic1188. Breezy isn't Breezy's real name in this story, either, I just never thought of a real name for her. It can be Brianna. xD I'll try to incorporate some Mabekah in here somewhere but it might be difficult. But I'll give it a shot!**

**Finally, the plot thickens! Behold!**

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**Part Nineteen: Sibling Rivalry**

Klaus wove in and out of the trees, hunting for whomever he had heard from the river. There was absolutely no mistaking it – there had been someone here. A vampire. In the distance, he could hear Rin laughing with someone, another human girl, but he was sure that wasn't who he'd detected. The stranger in the forest was moving far faster than any human and was still somewhere before him, leading him deeper into the woods.

Suddenly, the presence was still. Finally, the mystery vampire was no longer running.

"Show yourself," called Klaus. Despite his superior vision, he couldn't seem to place where exactly the person was. He just knew that they were close, and no longer moving.

"Gladly, brother," came a voice from behind him. Klaus stopped, taking a deep breath to control his sudden nerves and rolled his eyes. He then turned around and greeted his sibling.

"Hello, Kol. Might I ask what the hell you're doing in Mystic Falls?" He smiled coolly at his brother, who was, as usual, the picture of innocence. He'd always had a baby face – the kind no one would suspect. While Klaus actually resembled the predator he was, Kol was rather misleading. There was always coldness to his expression, as if his pleasant features could never quite match the hardness in his eyes. His charm made hunting depressingly easy, so he often had to find other ways to satisfy his innate craving for violence and meddling. It seemed every Mikaelson sibling had their own bizarre quirk.

"Just paying a visit to my hometown. Must say, didn't expect to find you having a splash war in the river with a human girl, Klaus," said Kol with a knowing grin. It was all Klaus could do not to deliver a swift punch to his brother's darling little face.

"Though it is _my_ business, I'll have you know it's not what you think."

"Oh, I know that. I've been wondering for a while now, really, what you could be doing with a telepath. Then, I realized something. There's a spell for what you want, is there not?" It was official. If Klaus wasn't thoroughly pissed off at his brother's presence before, he was now. He'd been snooping, and from the sound of it, for a while now.

"How long have you been following me around, Kol?" he demanded.

"Only long enough to figure out why you visited that witch in New Orleans a visit last year. Got her to break Carmel's rules for you, did you? Bought off a magical item? Or several magical items?" Klaus had heard enough. He wasn't in the mood to confirm or deny Kol's suspicions and he didn't want to know what he was planning. Klaus was completely confident that no matter what his short-sighted brother could whip up, it was nothing he couldn't handle. He shoved Kol aside and began walking back in the direction of the parking lot. He would walk home.

"I don't really care what you're up to anymore; it's quite obvious you're only interested in annoying me," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Really? Well, by all means, Klaus, walk on away. I'll just let you train her up for me and when the time comes to do the spell that'll be that," said Kol with a laugh. Klaus had a bad habit of acting like he was on top of things when he knew he wasn't. Sure enough, Klaus stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his brother once again.

"I offered that witch something she'd been looking for her entire life. Good luck topping my offer, brother." Beneath the confidence, however, Klaus was concerned – Kol already knew too much; had he already found something better to offer to Maya as payment, too? Kol approached Klaus. There was something cold in his grin – he'd always gotten a kick out of ruining his brother's plans.

"Some of us don't need to offer anyone anything to get what we want," he said, patting Klaus on the shoulder in an exaggerated, brotherly gesture. "You'll see when the time comes. In fact, that might be fairly soon. Rin seems to be drawn to the bad boy type, yeah? Do you think she'll appreciate how my hair's longer now?" Klaus was fuming. How _dare_ Kol interfere? This was not his domain and most certainly not his business. The worst part was that Klaus knew he was only doing this to mess up his plans. Kol had absolutely no interest in gaining what Klaus wanted, and he would take it if only to spite him. Klaus took another step towards his brother, towering over him.

"_Some of us_ need to stop playing games before their heart is ripped out of their chest and fed to them," said Klaus in a low growl. He was not tolerating any bullshit from his least tolerable sibling. At least Rebekah didn't _actually_ meddle in his affairs. She only wished she could.

Kol merely smiled warmly and took a step back, raising his hands in mock-surrender.

"Of course, Klaus, I wouldn't want to mess things up for you. Especially not with all the planning you've put into this Rin business," he said. "Say hello to Elijah for me," said Kol before disappearing into the woods. Elijah? What?

Now that he was gone, Klaus could panic. He ran his hands through his hair, taking deep breaths. He kicked a tree, leaving a deep indentation in its trunk, and couldn't wipe the raging glare off his face – was Elijah here too? Would Kol pursue Rin now? When would he strike? Could he leave her alone even for a second? How would he keep her safe?

The town's water supply was no longer spiked with vervain, that particular program had ended at the hands of Liz Forbes after the Salvatores had complained. So he couldn't rely on that. But Kol wasn't even interested in her blood – he would probably seduce her and then convince her to go along with the spell. He would probably use his insufferably perfect features to show her what a raging maniac Klaus was and make her turn against him. He had to be stopped. Rin would fall for it in a second; there was no way for her to know Kol's ill intentions.

Or Klaus', for that matter, but that was a different story.

Klaus rushed back to the water to find the girls and tell Rin to stay away from him. He'd tell her to stay inside, to not invite anyone in. He would tell her Kol was going to kill her. That'd do the trick.

Unfortunately, when he got to the river, there was no one there. They'd left, and considering that their scents were still strong, just recently. He rushed to the parking lot only to get there just in time to see Rin's Toyota turning the corner. She was probably headed home.

Just then, Klaus remembered the wonders of modern technology. It seemed he too often forgot just how easy it was now to reach people. He fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Rin's number. No answer. Furious, he took a moment to stare angrily at the empty parking lot before opening a blank text. "you're in some danger. do not invite strangers in. do not stay out at night, and don't go out alone. we'll talk later." He sent off the message, hoping she saw it soon. He really did not need this complication right now, but he would stay one step ahead of Kol. After all, that was all it took, right?

Damon, meanwhile, had just fed on some small-town tourists behind the post office in the Historic District and was on his way home when he barely avoided being mown over by a Toyota. Rin had slammed on the brakes, thankful that she was a fairly decent high driver. She rolled down the window.

"Damon, get the hell out of the street!" she yelled playfully, smiling at him. Damon walked up and leaned his elbows on the door, sticking his head in the car.

"Maybe you should learn to drive, stoner. I smelled the weed in this car from all the way behind the post office," he replied. "Who's the friend?" Marissa grinned at him from the passenger seat.

"Name's Marissa," she said.

"Nice to meet you, Marissa. Mind if I join your hotbox?" asked Damon. Rin was thrilled – the more the merrier! She had a couple of dimebags left over from a night out two weeks ago she wanted to offer since Marissa had smoked her up twice now. Stoner etiquette.

"Get right in, bro," said Marissa. "Oh, Rin, you got a text a minute ago – want me to read it?"

"Nah, I'll get to it later," she replied. Damon hopped into the backseat and grabbed the joint from Marissa as Rin stepped on the gas again. Ah, there was no thrill quite like the thrill of reckless driving. The three of them continued on their merry way to Rin's apartment. She was perfectly at peace, with two of her friends and two grams of weed awaiting them. Things were finally looking up.


	20. Rebound

**AN: Sorry about the late update everyone; I've injured my wrist somehow and typing is a bit difficult so I took a couple of days off. Gonna power through this update though and hopefully keep updating every couple of days, if not faster. If you believe in a God pray that my wrist gets better because I need to type to survive ._. Much love! **

**Thanks to VampireJacinta once more! And yes Kol is gonnna swoop in and make things difficult, lol. Let's see if Rin remembers to check her text messages!**

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**Part Twenty: Rebound**

Rin and Marissa traipsed into Rin's apartment, dropping their purses on the couch. Before they rushed to the bathroom to pack a bowl, Rin heard Damon clear his throat behind her. _Oh, right,_ she thought. _He can't get in yet._

"Come in, Damon," she called happily over her shoulder. He took a step in and looked around. He was sure he smelled blood somewhere but neither of the girls was bleeding as far as he could tell.

"Nice place," he said, surveying the massive mess in the living room and kitchen areas. Though the apartment wasn't quite small, it also wasn't anywhere near well-kept or organized. The blinds were always drawn as well since Rin didn't spend a ton of time there. That, and she was too lazy to open them. If she wanted sun, she went outside.

"That was a joke, right?" she said as she led Marissa into the bedroom and then to the bathroom. Damon followed behind them. Her bedroom was also a mess, but more of an organized mess – the clothes and shoes seemed to be organized into their piles instead of wildly strewn about. The closet doors almost closed and the bed was actually made. Damon thought that said something about her – that her closest living space was relatively taken care of – but he wasn't quite sure what.

"Might've been," he replied, closing the bathroom door behind the three of them. They opened the window and sad in a triangle on the floor. "Come to think of it, it's actually been a while since I lit up," he said, taking a slow hit off the pipe. They used Rin's this time. It was a delicate, single-blown glass serpent with rainbow fins and eyes.

The three of them chatted idly as they smoked through the first bowl. Rin had quite a bit of weed to spare and began packing the second.

"Did you guys hear about that thing they're having downtown?" asked Marissa, tucking her short, curly hair behind her ear. "Some kinda festival or something." Her gesture revealed a gruesome secret she probably wasn't even aware of. Rin looked up at her to ask about the festival but her words were caught in her throat when she saw. Horrified, she looked over at Damon, who was frowning at Marissa's neck. There were two messy bite marks that had just barely clotted over on her skin. They'd barely turned a brownish color and the gore had dripped and spread slightly. The two were shocked they hadn't noticed it before.

"I thought I'd smelled blood earlier," mumbled Damon. He'd been right about the blood – Marissa's hair had just covered up the marks before.

"Uh… Guys?" Marissa was confused. She was completely unaware of the marks.

"Now why wouldn't whoever did that compel her to cover up the marks?" said Damon, thinking aloud. Rin shot him a look.

"Nothing, Marissa, you've just got a little cut on your neck. Here." Rin set the bowl down on the rug and quickly wet a washcloth for her, pressing it to Marissa's neck. It was best to get the mark out of the way before Marissa saw it herself and freaked out.

"Oh. Thanks man," she said, taking hold of the cloth and dabbing lightly. "I didn't even notice." She seemed a little dazed as she said this – she was definitely under some kind of compulsion. Damon caught Marissa's eye and used his own compulsion to try to get information out of her.

"Tell me how you got hurt," he said simply. Marissa stared back at him, confused.

"I don't know."

"You don't remember anything?" Rin watched, fascinated. She'd never seen a vampire use compulsion on someone else before. It was strange seeing how a vampire had the ability to get into a human's mind like that, and with such ease, too. All Damon had to do was look at her.

"I don't remember anything." Marissa's voice sounded almost robotic as she said this. Rin and Damon exchanged another look. It was pretty clear that this was going nowhere.

"I didn't know there was a festival," said Rin, changing the subject. Marissa didn't seem to notice how abrupt it was and the three of them talked about the event that was apparently scheduled to take place in the fall.

Meanwhile, Klaus sped home and slammed the door behind him.

"Rebekah?" he shouted. He needed to know if she knew anything about Kol. He figured she would have asked him about why he was visiting if she'd seen him, and perhaps Kol may have told her. "Rebekah!"

"What is it, Klaus?" she shouted from upstairs. "I'm in the bath."

"Did you see Kol?" yelled Klaus as he marched up the stairs.

"Kol? Oh, yes. He dropped off a bag earlier today and then went out. He's moving back in for a while," she said through the bathroom door. Klaus drew in a frustrated breath and let it out slowly. Kol was moving in? He hadn't even asked. In the back of his mind, Klaus knew Kol was technically allowed to move back in to the Mikaelson Estate whenever, but Klaus considered himself the man of the house for now since Mikael was dead. Therefore, Kol should have at least asked.

"You didn't tell me!" he roared.

"Klaus, you're really ruining the calming effect of the lavender. You can yell at Kol later, but you know he has every right to live here. Besides, he's family." Klaus didn't say anything – he only slammed his fist on the door just loudly enough to make her jump and stormed into his bedroom.

He stood on the bed and twisted the knob at the top of one of the posters. As he did this, a rectangle-shaped portion of the wall slid away, revealing a little storage area behind the bed. He reached in and fished around, looking for the dusty little box he'd hidden there a year ago. When his fingers found it he breathed a sigh of relief – so Kol hadn't found it just yet. _Thank God_. His secret hiding spot remained a secret. He twisted the knob back and the wall returned to normalcy. Even if one knew where to look, the smooth surface of the wall would have given nothing away of the secrets behind it. He fished his phone out of his pocket and discovered that he had still not received a reply from Rin. Annoyed, he shot off another message.

Back in Rin's apartment, the three of them had smoked themselves into oblivion. Two hours passed as they ordered pizza, devoured the pizza, and watched episode after episode of whatever strange cartoons they could find on television. Though they were nowhere near sober, Marissa once again had to excuse herself to get to work at the taco joint. Rin was just thankful she wasn't driving – after smoking a joint or a single bowl people were generally okay but at this level of intoxication? She would have been uncomfortable with Marissa getting in the driver's seat.

She said her goodbyes and started off on foot for work. As soon as she shut the door behind her, Damon spoke.

"So I'm guessing you have no idea who bit her either." Rin shook her head solemnly and collapsed on the couch, gazing at the dancing images on the television. There was something so mesmerizing about television when she was high. She had no idea what was going on in the cartoon but watching it made her feel calm.

"No, no clue," she mumbled, still staring at the TV. Damon sat next to her and kicked his feet over the edge of the couch, laying his head in her lap as he did during their first and only lesson together.

"We'll figure it out later," he said. He wasn't nearly as blazed as Rin or Marissa, but even as a vampire he had to admit the amount they'd smoked was having an effect on him. It was a relief – sometimes Damon was led to believe he could never achieve an altered state of mind, not including, of course, the thrill of drinking human blood. However, today he'd finally achieved a little bit of a buzz.

"Hmm." Rin absently ran her fingers through his hair and slowly looked down at him. He wasn't looking at the TV – he was staring right at her. "What're you looking at?" she asked with a serene smile on her face. Damon returned her grin.

"What do you think I'm looking at?" he asked, widening his eyes a little. Rin laughed and leaned down, brushing her lips against his forehead. For the moment, she could forget about the strange moments she'd had with Klaus in the forest preserve. It was much easier to think about Damon and to be with Damon – there was no weird power struggle there. It was just like any guy she'd been with in the past: nothing she couldn't manage and nothing surprising. He was looking at her a little curiously now, as if asking with his eyes if she intended only to kiss his forehead. A slow smile spread across her lips as he rose, sitting next to her. He placed his hand on her cheek and leaned in slowly without a word, as if testing with every inch he became closer to her whether or not she wanted him to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered shut as their lips met. Slowly, they found the passion from their date night that Klaus had so rudely interrupted. Before long, they were torridly making out on the couch, the sounds of the cartoons in the background long forgotten.

As if on cue, Rin's phone chirped and buzzed to life on the coffee table. They both pulled away from each other as if emerging from some kind of daze. For a second, they just stared at each other, their faces inches apart. Rin didn't know what to do – was she supposed to check her phone? That was why they'd broken the kiss, right? She was still dazed from smoking. Damon wasn't at quite as much of a loss but he, too, wasn't sure why a text message seemed to tear them apart so abruptly. It seemed their connection was so fragile, any sudden occurrence was enough to push them back into their respective shells. They were both equally scared of opening up.

"You should get that," said Damon in a low, soothing tone. Rin gave a small nod and snatched her phone off the table.

"It's Klaus," she groaned, reading the name on the message previews. There were two texts already. "Of course." She looked up at Damon with a sheepish smile just as he rolled his eyes.

"Seriously? No way," he said. With vampiric speed, he snatched the phone from Rin's hand before she could tap the message and tossed it back on the couch, leaning over her again. "This time, he can wait," he said simply before pulling her in to meet her lips once more. After making out for a while longer, Rin's head found Damon's chest and they settled into a tight embrace. As she drifted off to sleep, Damon stroked her sleek, silver and wondered where his usual self was. For once, he didn't want to pressure the girl into doing more. He was perfectly content watching cartoons as Rin dozed on top of him. He looked down at her and realized her face was longer and thinner, but she looked tranquil as she slept - completely unlike how she looked when she was draining someone's energy.

Idly, he wondered what Klaus was texting her about. He reminded himself that they weren't dating, but he couldn't help but second-guess that. Her phone was still lying on the couch next to him… He could look. She'd never find out. _Bad idea, Damon,_ he told himself. _Besides, she has a lock code._ He'd watched her punch in the code as she idly checked her phone at the restaurant before. Settling for the fact that he wouldn't be able to get into the phone anyway, he continued watching television and leaned down to press his lips to her head. Even if she was sort of a rebound, it was nice having someone to hold after so long. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to do this.


	21. Damsel in Distress

**AN: Thanks to VampireJacinta for another review! I think you'll appreciate this chapter (:**

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**Part Twenty-One: Damsel in Distress**

Klaus was losing his mind. It had been a few hours now and Rin hadn't responded – had Kol already gotten to her? What was he planning on doing with her, anyway? Seducing her? Surely Rin was smarter than that. Klaus snorted as he pictured her turning down Kol's advances. She knew a predator when she saw one. Then again, sometimes she craved danger. She was a little unpredictable, and he couldn't count on her turning him away.

Would he just kidnap her? Force her to cooperate with him? Or did he have something else up his sleeve? Perhaps Klaus could figure it out when Kol was back here. He could talk to him – Kol would surely give away a few clues, if only to taunt him. He'd already looked through the things Kol had left at the manor but found nothing. Kol was apparently smarter than leaving around a notebook or any giveaway magical items. Of course.

He picked up his phone and dialed Rin's number. He didn't care anymore if it was socially odd to be calling her – this was important. The phone rang three times before Damon, of all people, answered.

"Hello Klaus. You've reached the personal line of Rin Yamamoto. How can I help you?" the other vampire's voice was loaded with disdain.

"Give her the phone." Klaus was not dealing with this bullshit right now. This was much more important than their silly date night. That had been irritating, but now Rin was in danger. And if something happened to her, Klaus' entire plan would fall through. There was no way he was letting that happen now. Not when things had been going so well.

His mind flashed to the loaded moment in the river from earlier that day. He quickly pushed it out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, she's asleep right now. Long day. Can I take a message?" The obvious sarcasm in Damon's voice was driving Klaus insane. He quickly composed himself and tried another angle.

"Damon. She's in danger. I need to talk to her, now." He tried his best to sound worried for Rin's well-being. That should work, right? There was a short pause.

"I don't believe you. What do you want with her, Klaus? She already had a lesson today." Klaus was officially pissed off. There was no way he was letting Damon get in his way right now.

"Give her the phone _this second_, or I will show up there and tell her what's wrong in person."

"I'm not going to wake her up right now. Even if she wakes up, I doubt she'll be sober." Klaus rolled his eyes. So either they were smoking, doing some other drug, or daytime drinking. _What else have they been doing? Was she that tired just from smoking?_ Klaus' mind was racing. This way ridiculous. He shouldn't concern himself with her romantic life – there was no point. He wasn't interested.

"For God's sake. Damon. Wake her up. It's important. I don't care if she's sober or not as long as she remembers what I tell her." Something must have finally gotten through to the younger vampire, since Klaus heard a long sigh before some mumbling. As Damon woke her, he realized his vampire vision wasn't even sharp enough to catch her transformation – it was so fast it looked unreal.

"What the hell? He called?" Klaus heard Rin groan as she took the phone. _Finally_. "Klaus, what's going on? I just saw you earlier today."

"My brother is hunting you. He was in the forest earlier today. His name is Kol, and you need to stay away from him. There was another pause as Rin took this in.

"I'm pretty sure it was just Marissa in the forest today, Klaus… She found me later and we came back here."

"So you're not just asleep with Damon, then?" The words came out before Klaus realized what he was saying.

"Excuse me?" Had Klaus just asked if she was alone with Damon? Was that really any of his business? Rin was surprised, but told herself she was misinterpreting because she was still slightly stoned. He squeezed his eyes shut – definitely the wrong thing to say. Completely unrelated. _Goddammit._

"I saw Kol. He told me what he was up to. You need to be careful. I have a feeling he'll find you sometime soon – do not invite him in. In fact, try not to be alone with him at all. If you are, drain him as much as you can. I don't know what he's up to but whatever it is it will not end well for you. Understand?"

"Why all the concern, Klaus?" said Rin doubtfully, referring to what he'd said a moment earlier. Klaus was expressing a lot of uncharacteristic worry about not only her love life but her well-being in general. It was a little too unusual to ignore.

"Remember our deal? I need something from you, Rin. And you can't provide it if you're dead." Klaus was using his mean-boy voice again, talking down to her.

"Oh right, I'm an item. I forgot. Thanks for the heads-up." Rin rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was even buying it – he was acting pretty strange. Then again, she was still a little baked.

"Rin, you know there's no reason to be like that. I consider us friends. Now be a good girl and watch out for yourself. I can't always be there." And just like that, he was making himself the good guy again. Rin narrowed her eyes at the coffee table. There was something strange going on here, and she was beginning to feel an inkling of suspicion not only about Klaus' intentions but this whole mentorship situation. What, exactly, did Klaus want from her that was so important it warranted his brother wanting to thwart his plans? She was too smart for this. She held the phone a foot away from her head for a moment to clear her throat. She was going to play this intelligently – she was done pretending to eat out of his hand. It was time to make her own rules.

"Klaus…" she made sure to let her voice trail off on a fearful note.

"What?"

"I don't know if I like this. It's one thing if a regular vampire or someone else is hunting me, but… Kol is an original. I don't feel safe by myself here." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Damon's expression change. He was shocked. To him, it looked like Rin was begging for Klaus' protection. On top of that, she was making herself sound defenseless. Hell, she'd managed Klaus already for this long, and he was by far the most dangerous of the siblings. What was she _doing_?

Rin held a finger up to him, gesturing for him to wait and letting him know that she would explain later. Damon continued looking at her curiously. On the phone, Rin heard Klaus sigh.

"Kol is staying here, at the manor. I'm not sure if it would be safer for you to stay here with me for the time being. What would you propose?" he asked. _He's buying it._ Rin was delighted. Original vampire or not, boys were predictable. Always looking for a damsel in distress.

"I don't know, I just…" She sighed, trying to show that she did not like making herself look so vulnerable. It was important to stay at least a little in character. "I don't even know what he looks like. If I'm with you, no matter how close he is, he won't be able to hurt me, right?" Her stomach turned. She hated how that had come out – as if she needed him to defend her. If there was one thing Rin hated, it was relying on someone else to watch out of her. She didn't need it, and she didn't want it. But if she wanted to know what Klaus was up to, she had to lead him to believe she needed him. That was the only way to get him to let his guard down long enough for her to figure it out.

Klaus was taking his time pondering this. She decided to take advantage of the delay. "Sorry, it's too much to ask. I'll be fine," she added quickly.

"No, no, I'm thinking. I'm just trying to figure it out if it'd be better or worse. I don't know how often he plans to be around the house, really. If he's hunting you, though, and you're around… I don't know. Just give me a minute."

"Honestly, Klaus, it's alright. I shouldn't have brought it up." She was surprised he hadn't picked up on her sudden personality change. Did he not realize she would never act this way normally?

"Rin, shut up. I need you alive as much as you want to stay alive." Apparently he didn't notice, but he didn't appreciate submissive Rin any more than she did. Thank God. She couldn't have him being too much of a hero – she might throw up all over Damon. Klaus took another moment to figure out his thoughts and replied. "Alright, fine, I think it'll work. As long as I have an eye on him, he can't get to you, and the closer you are to me, the easier it'll be to protect you against him. Get here tonight, and drive straight here. Don't go out otherwise. Plan to stay for as long as it takes for me to figure out what he's up to." Rin resisted a smile. He'd fallen for it.

"Okay, I'll be careful." She sighed again. "Klaus… Thanks. I appreciate it." Klaus had already hung up the phone. She took a deep breath after disconnecting herself and tossing her phone back on the couch. "Oh my god! That was grueling." She collapsed back onto Damon's chest, trying to overcome how pathetic she'd made herself look. No matter which way she looked at it, it was horrifying.

"Yeah, care to explain what the hell I just heard?" asked Damon, pushing her off of him. He needed to understand what, exactly, she was up to before she was allowed to bury her face in his chest again. She sighed, shooting him an exasperated look.

"I need to figure out what he's using me for. I'm getting nervous – he wants it badly enough to keep me alive, and it's big enough for his brother to want to fuck up his plans. He never talks about it, so I need him to let his guard down long enough to drop me a hint."

"So you move in with him?" Damon was skeptical.

"It's one thing to be close to Klaus, but he's like a rock. Kol, on the other hand, might not be. I don't know. But there's a chance he could drop a hint as well. If he wants to mess up Klaus' plans and if Klaus' plans involve hurting me in the end, the best way to do it would be to tell me what's going on, right?" Damon nodded. This was making a little more sense now.

"Damsel in distress card. You know, I knew a girl once who did that a lot. It worked like a charm until I caught on," he said, reminding her that this particular plan was something she couldn't rely on often. Otherwise, it would backfire. He was referring to Katherine. Rin flashed him a sultry smirk.

"She must have been doing it wrong," she said slowly before leaning in to press her lips to his. It was a heated kiss. He pulled away for a second.

"Just don't do anything too reckless," he said, his voice low, before kissing her once more. "And if one of them tries to eat you, give me a call." Rin laughed a little in her mind – even Damon was hopping on the hero bandwagon. He and Klaus weren't so different, after all.

"I'll do that," she said, smiling. At least Damon knew she was capable of watching out for herself and his warning was more of a polite offer than anything else. He wasn't actually swooping in to save her like she'd just gotten Klaus to do.

Oh well, she couldn't quite hold it against Klaus – he was just doing what she wanted him to do. She smiled into another kiss and pressed herself against him once more to curl up on his chest. The two of them lay in silence for a while.

Damon didn't know what to think. This whole plan could either go fabulously or it could blow up in her face. He knew Klaus was smarter than she gave him credit for, but she was smarter than Klaus gave her credit for, too. Aside from all that, when she walked into that house, Damon wasn't sure he'd be able to see her until she was allowed out. So this might be marking the end of their little non-relationship. And he wasn't sure if he liked that.

On top of that, he couldn't help but admit that Klaus was acting strange. He was overly concerned about her and he'd heard what he'd said on the phone – he didn't like the idea of her being alone with him. And there should be absolutely no reason for that. He shouldn't be concerned about her love life, should he? Was he playing her just as hard, pretending to be more concerned than he should be to get on her good side?

But Damon shouldn't be concerned about it, either, right? This was casual. This was nothing. He looked down at her silky hair – she was staring at the table. His lips parted and he took a breath to say something, but he wasn't sure what. Before he could get a word out, though, Rin sat up abruptly.

"I don't know if I'll be able to see you while I'm there," she said simply. Damon stared at her, expecting her to continue, but she didn't. She was giving him a chance to either walk away now or push through an obstacle. Damon was all too familiar with this decision, but this time, the easy way wasn't what he wanted.

"I'll figure it out," he said with a pained look on his face. Rin was shocked. She had been pretty sure he would tell her he knew, and that this was probably it for them for a while. This didn't make a lot of sense. She narrowed his eyes at him.

"You're in love with Elena," she said sharply, almost as if it was an insult. Damon's face contorted into a wounded expression.

"How the _hell_ do you know that?" he asked.

"Please, I can tell by the way you look at her. I'm pretty sure anyone can," said Rin with a dry laugh. She knew it was harsh, but she couldn't help but react this way to his desire to commit to her a little more. It was a romantic notion, but it confused her too much. It seemed superficial because she knew the truth.

"Then it should be pretty clear that I've given up on that front," he said, annoyed. "Why the hell would I tell you I'll figure out a way to see you if I was thinking about _her_?" Rin drew in a slow breath.

"Look, whether you figure it out or not, I don't want your commitment if you're hung up on some other girl, and don't expect mine while I know you're hung up on her. I can be a rebound just fine, but trust me, I know I'm a rebound," she said evenly. Damon didn't know what to say. As usual, Rin's undying self-respect ruled her actions. Even if she cared for him, she wouldn't let it be anything real unless he was all his. "I don't do relationships where I can't own his soul, got it? Elena owns your soul," she said before getting off the couch. It was getting later into the evening and if she wanted to get to Klaus' before it was too late at night she needed to start getting some clothes together now. She took a step toward the bedroom but Damon was in front of her in a flash.

"There's something hot about a girl who wants it all," he said with a grin. "I could let a girl like that own my soul." He was back to his casual self, and all the tension was lost. Rin smiled up at him, glad he understood.

"Great, let me know if it's mine and we'll talk," she said with a quick peck on his lips. "Now I need to pack, I'm moving in with my other boyfriend, remember?"

Damon smirked. She knew what she was doing. He wasn't sure if he'd really been kidding when he said he could give her everything. He'd have to think about it.


	22. Kill Me First

**AN: Wow, Part 22 already! I can't believe it. Thanks, VampireJacinta, for your review, and all the people who are actively reading my story. I'm not too into Bamon myself so I'm not sure there'll be much of it in here. Also, everyone should go check out VampireJacinta's stories because she is my sole dedicated reviewer. (:**

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**Part Twenty-two: Kill Me First**

Rin had just gotten out of her car and was pulling her duffel bag out of the backseat when she felt a hand on her mouth. Immediately, her mind jumped to Kol – was he here? Was Klaus inside, unaware of what was happening? She was just about to transform and start using her powers when her attacker heard her heart rate spike and realized he should probably identify himself.

"It's me, Rin," said Klaus, his voice so hushed she had to strain to understand. "I'm not sure where Kol is. We're going in the side door. Don't speak." He released her and grabbed the duffel bag, stalking around the side of the house. Rin assumed he wanted her to follow and crept behind him, feeling a little ridiculous. _I guess this is going to be my life for a while,_ she thought, laughing in her mind.

They slipped in through a side door Rin hadn't known existed and were immediately met with a flight of stairs that led into what appeared to be a cellar. There was a door at the bottom that Klaus unlocked and then re-locked behind her. Sure enough, they were in a massive wine cellar. The walls were lined with more alcohol than Rin had ever seen in her life, and she'd seen her fair share of grotesquely over-equipped bars. She noticed that most of the bottles had a thick layer of dust on their surfaces, and it occurred to her that they may have actually been gathered by Klaus and his siblings in the years printed on the labels.

Klaus gestured for her to follow him into another room, a sitting area equipped with what looked like a projector, and they went up another flight of stairs to the main level of the house. They were now in what looked like a storage area, and when they exited through the only door in the room, Rin found herself in one of the many living rooms. They crept through the house and went up yet another flight of stairs. This time, when Klaus opened the door at the top, they were in some kind of suite. They were in an office which was connected to a bedroom through a large archway. There was a fireplace on the far wall and a beautiful, antique-looking desk opposite it. Only after Klaus shut the door behind him and securely locked it did he speak.

"I have a feeling he's home," he said. "I've been hearing someone move around the house all day and it isn't Rebekah." He put the duffel bag on a loveseat in the corner.

"So… all the sneaking around is supposed to prevent him from finding me?"

"No, if he's here, he's probably caught a whiff of you already, but by scattering your scent around the house it'll make it harder for him to figure out where you are. I had a witch put a hex on this room just before you got here, so Kol can't get in." Klaus didn't mention the other things in the room that required protection aside from Rin – there was his box in the wall above his bed, which was just as crucial to his plan as she was.

"Great, I guess I'm safe here." She looked around, taking in the ornate wallpaper and magnificent four-poster bed. "Thanks. Is this a guest room?" Klaus raised a brow.

"No, love. This is my room." She wandered over to a small console table on the other side of the bedroom and ran her hand along the surface. It was spotless – completely free of dust. She wondered what he must think of her huge mess at home. She'd never expected Klaus to be the sort of guy who kept his living space in a state of impeccable cleanliness.

"So you've trapped me in your room."

"Didn't have time to hex another," said Klaus, smiling.

"So there's something else in here that needs protecting," she said, staring at him squarely in the eye. Klaus gestured to the walls around him.

"Of course. Everything that's mine. I don't want Kol's hands on any of my things, and I don't want his hands on my telepath, either." Rin nodded solemnly. Of course Klaus saw her as an object, an item that needed protection. She'd brought that upon herself. _Can't be helped,_ she thought, going back into the office area and sitting on the loveseat.

"I see. Well, does this mean I don't get to leave for an indefinite amount of time or do I get sun? Humans need that sort of thing, you know," she said pointedly. If Klaus wanted her to stay in this room for weeks on end, there was no way she would manage for very long. She'd probably escape fairly quickly.

"You can leave, but only if I'm with you." Rin's stomach churned. She was a prisoner. He was treating her like his own personal Rapunzel, to be locked away in this tower-like room for however long. And she was only allowed out with a chaperone. "And we're still doing lessons." Great, so she had to work, too. Well, at least that meant she was allowed to drain Klaus. She'd taken care of school by filing a leave of extended absence – she'd called it an emergency trip to North Carolina to see her sick aunt.

"Let's do one now," she said quickly. If she could feed on him, it'd definitely improve her mood. This was starting to look like even more of a chore than it did before.

"Not now. I want to know where he is, and I need to feed," he said as he sped to the door. "I'll be back soon." With that, he was gone. Rin looked around the room once more, still unable to get over the fact that it looked more like an elaborate hotel room than anything. Though the shelves on the massive bookcase that lined one of the office walls was extensively decorated with tokens from the past, there was something strangely impersonal about it all. Perhaps it was the lack of family photos, or how overly clean it was. Did Klaus spend any time in here at all? Judging by how detached his room seemed, she was guessing no.

She peered at the spines of each of the books, noting that some of them were in other languages. She recognized some Italian and Latin, but the other foreign characters were beyond her understanding. There were English classics – _The Picture of Dorian Grey, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,_ and, Rin noted with a smile, _Interview with the Vampire._ Had Klaus flipped through the pages, surprised that Anne Rice had gotten most things right? Had he wondered how much she truly knew about the vampire world?

She plucked a copy of _As I Lay Dying_ from the shelf and flopped back onto his four-poster to read, kicking off her turquoise flats. It occurred to her that Klaus probably didn't even sleep much. Relaxing on his bed didn't even feel like an invasion of privacy. She flipped open the book and began reading. After a while, she began feeling drowsy. It occurred to her that she needed energy, but she was sure she wasn't able to feed long-distance and still target a source yet. Annoyed, she wondered if she should escape the room for a little while to drain Rebekah, or maybe even Kol, if he crossed her path. Before long, she was sound asleep, unable to continue pondering through her sudden exhaustion.

A quick bang on the door several hours later woke her with a start.

"I know she's in there," said a voice. _Must be Kol._ Her heart beat faster, and she wondered if she could open the door – did the hex work if the door was open? She wasn't sure. But if she saw his face she could drain him. Driven by her hunger, she swept over to the door and pulled it wide open, and then took several steps backward. Even if Kol couldn't come inside, the hex might not stop him from using a weapon against her through the barrier. Klaus was at the top of the stairs, flashing a death glare at Rin for opening the door.

"What the hell are you doing? Shut the door!" he shouted. Through his ire he didn't notice that she was already in her transformed state. Rin only shifted her hip to one side and stared at Kol.

"I'm hungry," she said simply before Kol's eyes glazed over. He started toward the doorway but was forced to stop before entering – the hex still worked. It was as if he'd run into a solid wall where the door should have been. Rin was thrilled that her powers worked through the barrier. Unlike a vampire, she didn't need physical contact to feed. Klaus let out a chiding laugh as he watched from the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing. Kol was stock-still. After a few moments, he dipped to his knees, and then leaned his head against the wall. He couldn't get to Rin to stop her attack, and he couldn't resist the wave of exhaustion he was suddenly feeling.

"Alright, love, leave him be. It's obvious you're too strong for him," said Klaus as he walked across the landing and past his brother, who groaned slightly. Rin remembered Klaus and Damon's teachings about self-control and reluctantly ceased her attack before shifting back to her regular appearance. "Good girl," said Klaus, snaking a hand around her waist. Kol looked up at them, glaring as much as he could through his weakness. Rin only stared down at the original vampire, surprised. Kol looked like what the girls at Mystic Falls High pictured when they thought of "cute British boys". He had surprisingly pleasant features, and the accent made him a complete heartthrob to any American girl who hadn't spent enough time with Klaus to be desensitized to it. But there was something vicious in his eyes – Rin was sure there was a streak of cruelty beneath his attractive exterior.

Her mind drifted to Klaus' arm around her waist. He was expressing his ownership over her in front of his brother._ Hell no,_ thought Rin, twisting out of his grasp. Klaus didn't react. "Yes, she's in here, and as long as she's in here, you won't be," said Klaus, shutting the door on him. He turned to Rin. "That was a bit reckless, testing the barrier like that," he said, amused.

"I told you, I was hungry," she said evenly, still getting used to the feeling of Kol's life force flowing through her mind. It still wasn't as intoxicatingly sweet as Klaus'. Klaus' energy made her feel reckless, flirtatious, and almost giddy. Kol's, on the other hand, made her feel level, calculating, and cold. "He was a surprisingly easy target."

"You've been practicing on me, and I'm much stronger than him," replied Klaus after disappearing into the closet to hang up his blazer. He came out in a white v-neck and black jeans and noticed _As I Lay Dying_ on the bed. "You humans require constant entertainment," he noted as he placed the book back in its place on the shelf.

"You were gone for a long time. I fell asleep eventually because I was hungry," said Rin, suddenly annoyed. Klaus was horribly cocky. Even after all the time they'd spent together and after she'd proved her strength, he still looked down on her. He noticed her glaring at him and turned to face her.

"What're you upset at _me _for?" There was something uncaring in his voice, which only pissed off Rin even more.

"I'm not upset," she said coolly. "I'm just amazed at how even after I've proved my strength to you, you're still so full of yourself you can't stop yourself from looking down on me." Klaus narrowed his eyes at her, annoyed. She had no right to speak to him that way.

"I'll look down on whomever I want, love," he said, struggling to keep his voice nonchalant.

"Oh really? Give me a reason why I shouldn't just drain you to your death right now," she challenged, her voice equally nonchalant. It was a mistake. In a moment, Klaus had her pinned against the wall.

"Gladly. Because before you can weaken me enough, I can deplete your body of its entire blood supply," he growled into her ear. "Here's another. I can snap your neck before you have time to register the fact that I've moved." It occurred to Rin that she was playing with fire – he was, quite possibly, the most powerful being in the world. However, she couldn't force herself to tread more lightly, somehow.

"So asking to be treated with respect will incite you to kill me?" she asked, feigning innocence. "I thought you needed something from me." Klaus cocked his head to the side, a predatory smile playing on his lips as he tangled his right hand in her hair, pulling her head back to expose her jugular.

"I'm willing to wait several hundred more years for someone else to come along with the same ability," he said slowly. The fact that he was actually going to bite her didn't sink in until she felt his fangs on her skin – he was taking this as slow as he possibly could, causing her a great deal of pain before he began to drink. A choked sound escaped her lips as she found herself frozen in place. The feeling of being threatened caused her to transform, but Klaus was right – there was no way she could drain him as fast as she'd drained Kol. He would kill her first. He'd fully pierced her neck and in her heightened state she could hear the blood being sucked from her body. The same inexplicable bliss she'd felt the last time clouded her senses and she sighed, closing her eyes.

Outside, Kol could smell the scent of Rin's blood. In his weakened state, the iron-laced aroma was beginning to drive him mad. Irritated, forced himself to his feet and dragged his body down the stairs, making for the door. He needed to feed.

Before she realized what she was doing, the two of them were surrounded in what looked like the silvery sheen of Klaus' life force. She drew it in to her mind, suddenly dizzy from the overdose of his and Kol's energy combined as well as the rapid rate at which she was losing blood. Klaus realized what she was doing and pulled his fangs from her neck, then slammed her against the wall.

"Stop!" he demanded, hissing. His face was dripping with gore. She only tilted her head back and laughed wildly.

"Kill me first," she insisted, openly mocking him.

Klaus had never before felt so close to ending her life. One night in close quarters and he was already ready to slaughter her.


	23. Human

**AN: Phew! These last few chapters have been a massive rush to write. Enjoy! I'm really quite proud of this one.**

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**Part Twenty-three: Human**

Rin couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She knew he could kill her at any moment, and probably would soon, too, considering her provocation, but it was just too funny. But she wasn't sure what, exactly, was entertaining her. Maybe it was how angry he'd gotten when he realized she was draining him, when in reality it wouldn't have much of an effect at all. He could easily kill her before she managed to do any serious damage like she'd done to Kol.

Klaus, meanwhile, couldn't decide what to do – all the effort he'd put into her would go to waste now if he ended her life. He stood poised at the crook her neck, ready to rip into her throat and savagely devour her. It would take two minutes, maybe less. It would be nothing but murder, too, since he'd just fed on a runner outside. His mind flashed suddenly to the moment in the river earlier that day. Had it really just been earlier that same day? It felt like years ago. The way she was so sure she'd fall, and that he'd let her. Some sort of realization had dawned on her face when she found she hadn't fallen at all, and that Klaus was holding her securely on her feet. What had it been?

If he killed her now, he'd never know.

"Didn't you promise not to hurt me?" she said, the eerie grin still splayed across her face.

She was right. He had made that promise, that night over dinner. He hissed loudly in her ear and shoved her across the room. Rin had no idea where she'd land but she ended up on the edge of the bed. For a moment, she was thankful that he hadn't killed her, but her emotions were all muddled from Kol's and Klaus' energy flowing through her. Had he just pushed her onto the bed? Why hadn't he killed her? Hooray, he hadn't killed her! Rin didn't know what to react to first, or how to react to anything at all. The wounds on her neck quickly began healing.

Klaus ran a hand through his hair, trying to recover from his near-murder.

"So you won't kill me." Despite trying to keep her voice level, a hint of hysteria managed to creep into her tone. That must have been Klaus' energy was having an effect on her. "True to your word," she said with a little laugh. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rin was shocked at how little control she had over herself with all the extra energy bouncing around her brain. Her skin was all but tingling with power, and she had no idea what to do with it other than give in to complete incoherency.

"No I won't fucking kill you!" he shouted, turning to face her. His face was still covered in a mess of carnage. He stormed into the bathroom and wiped at it furiously with a wet towel.

"Hmm," said Rin, flopping onto her back. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw the wallpaper dancing. "I can't figure out why," she mused, gazing at the ceiling fan. It wasn't on, but if she stared at it for a while it looked like it might be. "Must be because I still hold 'item' status!" she concluded triumphantly, throwing her arms out to her sides to feel the plush memory foam beneath her even more. She was so dizzy.

Klaus was standing at the doorway of the massive bathroom, leaning on his elbow which he had propped up on the side of the door frame. He was trying to figure out all the reasons why he couldn't just kill her, facing away from Rin. More accurately, he was trying to convince himself that he'd put a lot of effort into her already and he didn't really want to wait so long for another telepath to come along. They were a rare breed. So it had to be that, right?

He reflected quietly on his enraged thought process. Thinking about the moment in the river is what made him abandon the idea of ending her life. He wanted to know what had been going through her mind, and if she was dead, then he never would. But why? What was the point? What did he care? He scowled, thinking she was nothing more than a lowly human being who he had hopelessly outgunned in terms of power and experience.

But that wasn't quite true. She was considerably powerful herself – she could take down his brother, an original vampire, after a very short period of training with her abilities. Who knew what else she was capable of? With years of training, she could potentially be powerful enough to kill Klaus himself.

He couldn't help but feel a little impressed at this. No one in many years had posed even a drop of threat to his life, but one day, Rin might. In fact, if he couldn't feed on her, if he'd been trapped outside the barrier like Kol had, Rin could probably kill him now, with whatever skill she'd already developed. The skill he had basically taught her to hone.

So he was able to see her as more of an equal than anyone else. Though she wasn't completely on his level by any means, she was closer than even his own siblings - she possessed the ruthlessness, drive, and self-respect that they lacked. He was sure that as soon as she realized she was strong enough, if he were to cross her once more, she'd kill him, or at least put him within an inch of his life. That might be why he hadn't destroyed her – because she presented some sort of threat, and she was possibly the only person in the world who did. After all, hybrid or not, no being was truly immortal if his or her life energy was completely drained. Rin could literally consume whoever she wanted – vampire, werewolf, hybrid, witch, or human.

Klaus realized that if she were to die, he'd be once again unrivaled. He thought briefly of the life of overwhelming strength and control he'd lived for almost two years now, as a hybrid. Even he could not doubt it was sometimes lonely at the top.

Could he just ask her what she'd been thinking? That might come across strangely. He heard her thinking aloud and giggling behind him and knew she was basically in an altered state of mind from all the energy she'd consumed and having just been fed upon as well. If there were ever a better time to ask, it might not be for a damn long time. He turned around slowly. She was lying on her back on his bed with her hand held out before her. She seemed to be feeling the ceiling melt with her hand, at least that's what she was mumbling about. He couldn't help but notice how comfortable she looked in his bed. Granted, he didn't spend much time in it himself, but it was strange seeing a woman there.

"Because I wanted to know something," started Klaus tentatively. This was either an excellent idea that would end his wondering or a really terrible one that would result only in more wondering. Rin sat up with a start.

"I thought you knew everything!" she said, and then laughed far too much at her own words as if she'd unwittingly made an excellent joke. He stared at her. She was really out of it. He began second-guessing himself again – would he even get a straight answer like this? He decided to ask a less specific question. It was too suspect to ask about one particular moment. It made him seem… overly attentive. Was he trying to hide the fact that he was overly attentive? He was a hybrid, after all, and therefore had to be extremely attentive by nature. He was a predator.

His mind began to wander in a frantic attempt to forget what he'd wanted to do. Wrenching his thoughts back to what he was doing, he answered Rin, who'd already long forgotten what she'd said.

"I do not know everything. I'm a little curious about something." Rin looked up again, as if noticing him for the first time.

"What?" she asked simply. She was going to take control of this rampant energy flow and channel it, she decided. She pictured a funnel, as if she were trying to focus on one thing at a time. He could tell she was struggling to keep her attention on him.

"Why haven't you turned away from me yet?" he asked, slowly pacing toward where she was sitting. He stood a few feet away, crossing his arms. Rin laughed in response.

"Because if I do, you'll kill me," she said as evenly as she could manage. "And I need a mentor!" she concluded, her voice breathy as she dropped back onto the bed, lying down. She was having some difficulty figuring out the control but it wasn't impossible.

Klaus couldn't help but sink a little. So she was loyal to him only because he was capable of ending her life, and she was scared of that. This was essentially how his relationships with many people worked – Damon and all his friends, for example, who often went to extreme lengths to avoid his wrath. He should be perfectly content with this, but he saw her as more of an equal than she saw him. There had to be something wrong with that.

And the other reason she had not yet strayed from his mentorship – she needed it. Granted, she actually might need it, but she didn't go to Damon anymore because of how hard he'd played the manipulation card. He'd created rules and boundaries for their relationship. Essentially, she was playing into his manipulation by not doing the same. What was stopping her from creating rules as well? And demanding to do whatever she wanted?

It dawned on Klaus. She didn't trust him to keep his word, and she'd been right to. As soon as Rin had really defied him, he'd almost killed her. Just now. If she didn't trust the promise he'd made, then… what else didn't she trust? He looked at her, giddy and drunk on life vampire life force, and decided he'd have to figure it out later, when she was comprehensible. Any "hints" she gave away in this state might not be reliable.

She stood up suddenly.

"What are you thinking?" she demanded. Her voice was startlingly even. She'd mastered the overload of energy and was done drowning in her own hysteria. He looked at her, trying to gauge just what she was doing here. If she didn't trust him not to kill her, why would she trust him for protection? Was she onto him completely?

"Nothing to worry about, love," he said, returning his gaze to the desk he'd been staring at before.

"You've been staring at that desk for a while. What is it?" she said. There was no concern in her voice – rather, she wanted to know because she was curious. That, or he'd been right about her not trusting him at all. He sighed deeply, wondering if he could perhaps try again with the promises. This time, with true intention to keep them. A nervous hand instinctively ran through his hair before he turned to face her. Oddly enough, she was no longer bubbling over with excitement. She was completely composed, but there was something slightly too intense about her gaze. Klaus couldn't help but be reminded of a hawk. All her energy had to go somewhere, after all. He supposed it was focused on him now.

"It's occurred to me that I've broken my promise not to threaten your life," he said slowly, through a slightly stiff jaw. Apologies were not exactly his forte.

"I believe I mentioned that," she replied, cocking her head. Was he actually going to try to make up for it? No way.

"And I…" he trailed off a bit, struggling to wrap his tongue around the word. "…apologize for that." He cleared his throat. He quickly rehearsed the next point he wanted to make in his mind. "And I wonder sometimes about what you think of all this. Because I can't imagine it's easy, suddenly faced with your life in danger and being hunted and pursued by supernatural beings." There. He'd choked out the words. Perhaps with great difficultly and sans eye contact or his usual eloquence, but he'd done it.

Rin could barely believe what had just happened. He'd apologized to her, and then he'd expressed a single shard of normal, non-threatening human emotion – curiosity. Unbelievable. Now was her chance to either reject him completely and go back to their regular, razor's-edge, life-or-death relationship. Or, she could accept his attempt at decency and establish a better connection with her mentor. Rin knew the smart thing to do. _The closer you get to him, the closer you get to finding out what he wants from you._ Focusing all her extra energy on one thing caused her to not only think quicker, but, with just a bit of effort, much more clearly as well. She took several steps toward him and looked up at him. If he'd been anyone else, she'd have instinctively placed her hand on his cheek to get his attention and force him to look at her, but this was Klaus, and he was vulnerable – did she dare?

Something told her she had control in this situation to take that liberty. Slowly, she reached out and barely pressed her steady palm to his face. The gesture caught Klaus horribly off-guard and, as predicted, his gaze immediately drifted to her. Realization dawned on her – Klaus truly believed her biggest concern was her life suddenly in danger. In reality, Rin could count on one hand how many times she'd seriously been worried for her life since everything was turned upside-down. It was remarkable, even to her, how steadfast she'd been in keeping her head.

What she said to him then was as important for her to hear as it was for Klaus.

"My life has always been in danger, Klaus. I'm not nearly indestructible like you are. There are a million ways I could have already died, long before you found me," she whispered. "I'm only human."


	24. It's Lonely at the Top

**AN: Thanks for your reviews once again, VampireJacinta! Their relationship is still developing. (:**

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**Part Twenty-four: It's Lonely at the Top**

Klaus wasn't sure what to react to first – her fingers on his face or what she'd said, which was much more confusing than what he'd figured would come out of her mouth. So she didn't fear for her life? How could that possibly be? It was the last thing he'd expected.

But it did make sense. Rin fearlessly threw her into life-threatening situations, including provoking Klaus when she apparently did not trust him to keep her alive at all. His expression was one Rin was sure had never before graced his features in her presence. He seemed surprised, without a hint of anger – eyes slightly wide, lips barely parted. The meager proximity between them allowed him to see that her eyes were truly as black as they looked from a distance – even with his enhanced vision, he could catch no difference in hue between the pupil and iris.

"Why have you asked for my protection?" He spoke slowly and deliberately, knowing exactly what he was accusing her of. He was taking a stab at her potential deceit, trying to figure out if it was real or imagined. "Or did you truly trust me not to hurt you?" Rin dropped her hand, staring him straight in the eye. She would have to give him a drop of the truth.

"I never trusted you not to hurt me," she admitted. "But I trust you wouldn't let anyone else hurt me." She turned away from him, tossing her ink-black hair over her shoulder. Once again, Klaus was surprised. Rin was far more intuitive than he'd expected. The truth in her statement was undeniable – Klaus was perfectly capable of causing her at least some harm, but the thought of Kol causing her harm made his stomach churn, since he knew Kol was out to ruin his plans. Or was it something else?

He had to take a step back and assess what was going through his mind. Until now, he realized, he'd failed to do that. Was he so possessive of her only because he desperately wanted his plan to succeed? Was that the only reason?

It had to be. If there was something else, that would irrevocably damage his plan. Rin was not to be considered expendable until the moment she provided what he needed.

He thought again of what, exactly, life would be like without Rin. With her gone, he'd be even more powerful, and once again, alone. At the top of the food chain, however. The absolute top – the height he had waited hundreds of years to reach. He was closer than ever, now, with Rin in his grasp. A telepath. When would he ever come across another? It may not happen for another hundred years. Maybe not a thousand years. He couldn't afford to wait that long. He would cope with loneliness, as he had for a thousand years already.

After just a short time training her, he'd already started faltering on his initial plan. How could this be? He stared at the back of her head. Human beings were nothing more than a collection of delicate, fragile systems encased in vulnerable, highly-sensitive skin. She was just like them, physically, unless she was running high on energy. How could he consider her to be so important? Nearly an equal? It didn't seem to add up. He was having a hard time wrapping his mind around this when she turned around to face him again.

"You're quiet again," she said.

"I'm thinking." The hostility was gone from his voice.

"About what?"

"Nothing that concerns you." There was something highly suspect about that. Rin realized that he would not kill her now, whether or not she challenged him. Her instincts told her she could trust his desire to keep her safe now. So, it was safe to let him know she was more onto him than he thought.

He disappeared into the closet and came out a moment later dressed only in plaid pajama pants. "I'm going to sleep," he stated as he brushed past her to the office. He unlocked the door they had used to get into the room and started up the opposite set of stairs, which led up to a massive wooden door. Rin raced after him and found herself behind him in only a moment. Another result of the energy overload, definitely. She seized his arm in an iron grip, forcing him to stop. He didn't turn around. It seemed he was avoiding her gaze as much as he could, but Klaus could feel her penetrating stare on the side of his head.

"Klaus." She paused. "What do you want with me?" She kept her voice calm but stern, demanding to know. "I want to know now, or I will leave. And I will dare you to hunt me down." His stomach churned again. She knew he wouldn't kill her, and she was confident enough of it to finally make a demand he had really no choice but to meet. But he could meet it with a lie, could he not?

But she'd been honest with him. _Do you really want to go down this road?_ he asked himself, considering once again how lonely it was being the strongest. But he'd never needed anyone – what was the point of having a true friend? Or a lover? Nothing lasted forever. Nothing except him, at least until God himself decided it was time for the end of reality as he knew it.

Was he, the most immortal of the ageless beings, likely the strongest creature on the planet, bound to the laws of fairness? Was he obliged to return Rin's honesty with his own? Would he ever be accountable for the damage he caused to others? Or would it go largely unpunished, as it had thus far? Did he have any reason, really, to attempt to catch up to his bad karma?

Or was she karma, in human form, finally standing before him and forcing him to question himself?

"Klaus?" Right, she was still here. And so was he. "Answer me." She said this in the same way – directly, as a nonnegotiable demand, but gently, with the clarity of someone who wanted only to know the truth.

He didn't turn to face her completely, preferring to hide in the safety of the shadow falling on his perch on the stone stairs, but he looked over his shoulder just long enough for Rin to catch a glimpse of his face. She found yet another unusual expression there. Eyes wide, he looked almost lost. For a fleeing second, she wished she hadn't asked. Something was gnawing at him, and it had started doing so after she'd asked him to tell her the truth. But she had to know.

"I'm beginning to wonder if I know anymore."

Rin drew in a breath, the sort one didn't realize was being held until its release. Klaus recognized it immediately – the kind that was drawn in a feeble attempt to steady the world around oneself, to provide a false sense of stability when something had suddenly been thrown horribly off balance. He listened to the silence as she held that breath, waiting for something more from him. If he'd had something to offer, to clarify, he might have.

Her grip on his arm had loosened enough for him to wrench his arm away, in classic Klaus fashion, and march purposely up the stairs before shutting the loft door behind him. As soon as he was safely separated from her, he stopped to listen. She was still in the stairwell. She had to get back in the room, and quickly, since the stairwell was not protected by the hex. But she was still standing there. Silently, he willed her to go back inside. There was no way he was going to open the door and tell her now – not after what he'd just said. At least it was quiet around the house. She was in no immediate danger.

Another painstaking minute passed before she entered his bedroom and quietly shut and locked the door behind her. So she was safe, and he had the night to himself. Now was the perfect time to sort out the muddled thoughts that had ran through his mind just now and, eventually, out of his mouth. He pulled a pair of blue jeans and a black v-neck from the massive pile of clothes near the window and changed quickly. His "bedroom" downstairs may have been his designated area in the house, but the loft was where he dropped appearances. There was no point – neither Rebekah nor Elijah could appreciate the place because it wasn't completely finished with frilly wallpaper or plush carpeting, and Kol probably didn't think of it as anything more than his elder brother's extra storage space.

After he was dressed, he slid open the window and dropped two and a half stories to the grass beneath. He was overcome by a feeling akin to escape as he started toward the street for a long walk. Slowly, the sounds of Rebekah flipping pages in her room and Rin's unsteady heartbeat faded away.

In Klaus' bedroom, she had changed into a short black nightdress, turned the lights out, and gotten in bed, but it felt like her body completed these tasks on autopilot. Her mind was racing somewhere far removed from her physical location. She was reviewing all the things Klaus had done with her thus far, trying to put words in his mouth. What he'd said didn't make sense, and she wanted a real answer. Instinctively, she tried to make one up based on anything at all that could be considered evidence.

But nothing made sense. Nothing he did added up to a comprehensible, reasonable answer. It was strange, really, since she'd gotten so much of him figured out – he was possessive, short-tempered, and thirsted for power almost as much as he thirsted for human blood. But he was also struggling to express some kind of kindness and honesty toward her between those things. Why? Did he want her respect? Complete obedience and loyalty? What could she possibly offer him? Until now, she'd thought he'd known what he wanted from her. That there was a plan. But he'd just taken all that and essentially ripped it to shreds – _he_ didn't even know what he wanted.

_I'm beginning to wonder if I know anymore. _What the hell did that mean? Leave it to Klaus to be fickle on top of all his other undesirable qualities. But that didn't make sense either – this was the only time he'd shown any hint of indecisiveness.

Maybe that explained the look on his face. He'd looked lost. Perhaps he was trying to wrap his mind around the fact that for once, he was lacking a purpose. But he'd had one at some point, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have sought her out in the first place. Where had it gone?

She tried to pinpoint the moment she'd first felt his mixed signals. Was it the dinner? No, that was outright bribery. It must have been in the forest. A shudder crept through her spine as she recounted the memory for herself. He'd "cleaned up her mess". He'd licked it from her palm.

It was sickening to think that there was something distinctly sexual about the way he'd done it, too. She was basically being fed upon but he'd made it feel and seem wonderful. The fear that he'd bite into her hand had paralyzed her, but it electrified her as well, in a way she didn't think she'd ever experience. In that moment, she'd had no choice but to trust him. And for the first time, he'd pulled through and actually _not_ hurt her, as she predicted.

No, that had not been the first time. It was in her room, when he'd crept in before the agreed-upon time for their lesson and fed upon her after she'd provoked him. Before biting into her jugular he'd told her, "_You are making a horrible mistake by trusting me."_ And Rin had known he was being honest. It occurred to her now that he'd also meant more than just in that moment. It was one of the few genuine, unmasked things he'd ever said to her, along with his remark from earlier tonight, and it was a precursor to this disaster she'd landed herself in – living in his house, hiding from another original vampire, trying to sort out his thoughts and actions.

He'd expressed concern about her. And despite being just about to put her life in danger, he'd meant it. So to be fair, he'd warned her. And then he'd pulled through again, pulling away from her neck before killing her. She wondered if that was difficult for him.

And then there was that split second in the lake when he could have easily pushed her over and won their stupid game but he hadn't, instead holding her in place, stable.

Aside from all of that, she was here, wasn't she? She'd feigned concern for her well-being and he'd stepped right up to keep her safe. But was that only because he needed something from her? Or because he genuinely didn't want harm to come her way? He'd proven just now that he didn't know himself.

But on top of those fleeting displays of conflicting emotion, there were all the times he'd acted exactly how she predicted he would. He'd followed her on her date with Damon, and he'd kicked the baby rabbits. He'd bribed her with his dinner and "new rules", and then gone back on the promises he'd made not to hurt her or threaten her life. There was no way she could overlook those things.

_Klaus has no idea what he's doing anymore,_ she thought as she stared at the ceiling. The darkness was becoming notably darker – her extra energy was fading away. It seemed the longer she made a habit of draining the energy of others, the faster its effects wore off. It had only been a little over an hour since she'd drained Klaus while he was feeding on her, and she was already falling victim to exhaustion and craving. Klaus was right upstairs, she could probably just go up and drain him in his sleep… Or she could do the noble thing and ask. They'd had a bit of a tender moment earlier, had they not? He'd listen, right? Sleeping felt like a sin right now; she had too much thinking to do.

Tentatively, she unlocked the door to the stairwell and immediately scoffed. As if she could ever predict Kol coming to get her in the stairwell. Her best bet was to just rush up the stairs as fast as she could. She didn't bother locking the door behind her this time and started up the marble steps, only to be shoved roughly against the wall. Kol. _Wow, really? _

"Were you fucking waiting or something?!" she spat, her eyes barely adjusting to his face. Ah, well. He would serve as a fine source for now, though Klaus' energy was much more fun.

"Stop. Before you drain me, I need to talk to you," he said solemnly. Rin couldn't believe this. She'd literally been outside the room for less than ten seconds. All thoughts of pondering Klaus' motive dropped from her mind – Kol would probably tell her. She'd predicted something like this might happen. The only thing she had to do for now was listen, and she could at least find out Klaus' plan before he decided he didn't know what he wanted anymore. She hoped he was fast asleep upstairs and wouldn't hear them talking.


	25. Common Knowledge

**AN: Sorry about the slow update! I've rewritten this chapter a few times now. I was unsure before of where I wanted this part to go, but I think I've got it figured it out now. This one's a bit of a filler, but still important. (:**

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**Part Twenty-five: Common Knowledge**

The apartment had been left in a hurricane of clothes, shoes, and various handbags, as always. Klaus stood in the middle of the living room, absentmindedly surveying the mess around him. He didn't dare touch anything, but he'd been there for about an hour already, just standing. It seemed to be organized in a sort of separated set of messes. There were handbags piled on the one armchair and clothes sorted by what looked like evening wear versus day wear in two different piles in the living room. He couldn't figure out the shoes, though. Maybe she'd just kicked them off wherever she wanted when she got home. He tried to imagine her stumbling in drunk in the slinky silver dress by the linen closet, or coming home from school in the jean shorts and White Stripes shirt by balcony door. Did she like them? Or did she just have the t-shirt?

The whole place smelled vaguely like marijuana and salad dressing. It felt strange to be moving as he walked into the bedroom, having stood still for so long. His reflection gazed back at him from the floor-length mirror on the bathroom door, surprising him with his own miserable expression. He hadn't realized how upset he looked standing in her apartment. Upon seeing his face, he was forced to question himself again. What, exactly, was he doing here? What was he waiting for?

With her gone, who would clean up this apartment? Who would take all the clothes? Who would live here instead?

There was no denying it. Something was going on here that Klaus hadn't expected and had no way of predicting. Rin was up to something, because there was no way he'd be having these thoughts unless she had done something to make him. On his own, he would never be contemplating keeping her alive and abandoning limitless power. It had to be her doing. She was a telepath – she could do that, right?

No, he would have known. It was always obvious to him when she was either draining him or affecting him. It felt like a sudden, inexplicable change – he hadn't even seen these thoughts coming. There was no way for her to control his thoughts. It was him. There was something wrong with him.

He paced closer to the bed, feeling more and more like an intruder, but there was something addicting about being in her space. It was like reaching new understanding of her. He could be near her without having to deal with the stress of handling her. The "organized mess" setup reminded him slightly of his attic – were they so different after all? She human, he a hybrid?

Yes, they were. This was where she invited people and spent time with her friends. With Damon. With Klaus, when he let himself in. Rin didn't have one room that she showed to others and one she kept locked away, riddled with her true self. Over the years, Klaus had grown to believe he had to hide himself away in the attic. Otherwise, he was vulnerable.

But Rin was neither hidden away nor vulnerable. She could be taken at face-value and still carried herself like she was indestructible. Maybe because she was – no one got under her skin. He'd almost killed her and he still didn't get under her skin. In fact, she seemed to get a kick out of people attempting to get under her skin. He was fairly certain that even in her dying moments, she would have that steely, invincible look in her eye. How did she do it?

A photograph on her bedside table caught his eye. Still refusing to touch anything, he peered down at it. It was a little girl. Her? No, though they looked alike, upon closer inspection, he saw that the girl in the photograph had green eyes. Otherwise, she could have been a younger version of Rin. Who could it be?

Now he was really snooping. Feeling guilty, he turned away from the picture and escaped through the window. As he hit the ground, he lost his balance slightly for the first time in years. _Shit. _It shocked him a little – he couldn't remember stumbling like that any time in the last few hundred years.

Brushing it off, he began the trek home. Walking at a human pace gave him time to think, and Rin was probably safely asleep in his room by now. Letting his mind wander, he tried to picture her curled up in his blanket, her silver hair covering one of the pillows. The sheets would probably smell like marijuana and salad dressing in the morning. Except the pillow – that would definitely have caught the kiwi scent of her shampoo.

Klaus frowned, stopping for a moment. He knew what her shampoo smelled like. Why did he know that? When had he gathered _that_ useless bit of information? It was impossible to remember when, exactly, he'd picked it up, as if he'd known for a long while and it was now just common knowledge.

_Do not go down this road,_ he told himself.

It was funny; after nearly ten centuries of life, Klaus still lacked the introspection to save himself from his own denial.

As he approached the house, he cut through the back yard and quickly climbed the tree outside the high attic window, taking extra care not to lose his balance again. On his way up, however, he heard a voice. Rin.

"Where you fucking waiting or something?!" After that, Kol. Of _course_ she'd left the room.

"Stop. Before you drain me, I need to talk to you." _Shit._ "Wait, he's home." Rin raised a brow at him.

"He was gone?"

Klaus nearly flew in the window and out the door, and in mere moments he was in the stairwell. But Kol was nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell did he go?!" demanded Klaus. Rin was still processing what had just happened. Kol had basically disappeared – she'd never seen a vampire move so fast. And now Klaus was here, fully dressed. So he had been gone.

"I couldn't tell you," said Rin, exasperated. She'd been distracted from feeding by the prospect of Kol perhaps telling her Klaus' plan, but now Klaus was here instead, and she still hadn't fed. As she ran a hand through her hair, Klaus noted a sort of frustrated look on her face.

"Care to explain why you left the room?" Eyes narrowed, he ignored her frustration. He received a long, tired sigh as a response. "Well?!"

"I was starving. I didn't want to sleep; I wanted more energy. But I guess now I might as well," she said, obviously ticked off. She was getting cranky from lack of energy. The door slammed noisily behind her as she re-entered Klaus' bedroom and collapsed on his bed.

Despite whatever she'd just told Klaus, she still didn't want to sleep – there was too much going through her mind. Now she had to ponder when she could get Kol alone again along with the Klaus drama. This was way too much for her to ignore and just… go to sleep.

Klaus, meanwhile, lingered in the stairwell. Should he say something to her? What was there to say? No, he wouldn't say anything. There was no point. He would carry on as normal and ignore this issue until it went away.

Sighing, he sank to the landing and leaned his head against the cool, stone wall, still unsure. Five, ten, then fifteen minutes went by, and once again he found himself waiting around someplace unusual for something unknown. After some time, he found himself listening carefully to the sound of blood rushing through Rin's body in slow, even pumps. As her heart beat slowed, he drifted into his vampiric equivalent of sleep.


	26. Hide and Seek

**AN: Thanks VampireJacinta! My one true reviewer haha (:**

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**Part Twenty-six: Hide and S****eek**

"FUCK." Rin winced, her hand flying to her head. It had been six days since her first night in the Mikaelson Estate, and Klaus was trying to teach her to target a source she couldn't see. They'd been working on it for three days now with little success so far. Every time she tried to focus on his image in her mind, her powers seemed to bounce back onto herself, either draining her, damaging her, or both. It was as if she was attacking the image in her own head instead of the actual Klaus. "Klaus! I can't fucking do this!" _Wherever he is, he should be able to hear me, right?_

This time, they'd tried something different. She hadn't fed in two days and was running extremely low on energy. Klaus had thought that perhaps desperation would help her to focus, but so far it was only making her more cranky and exhausted. Lately, she'd even contemplating feeding without targeting any source, but then she ran the risk of perhaps killing someone and not even knowing it.

She'd received no reply from him. _He's in the house, isn't he?_ "Klaus! I'm serious, I need to feed. Come out." Talking to herself in his room seemed a little strange, but she was sure he'd be able to hear her. In the distance, she thought she heard Kol laughing. A few moments passed and she curled up on the bed, sighing. "Klaus? I'm going to sleep if you don't come out." Still no response for a minute. "Fuck you!"

"Perhaps if you're a good girl," said the original vampire as he strolled in. In his hands were the keys to her Toyota and a cup holder containing two strawberry banana smoothies. Rin gaped at him.

"You're kidding me. You _left_? You got _smoothies_?" she asked, horrified. Then, she noticed the keys. "_In my car. _You _stole my car_ to get smoothies _during my lesson._ Klaus, I will slaughter you."

"Someone's a little cranky. Relax; I got you one too," he said, repressing his laughter. Torturing her for the last two days was proving to be far more fun than he'd expected. He held the cup holder out for her to take hers, but she only glared at him. He sighed through his grin and placed her cup on the nightstand before bringing the straw to his lips, raising his eyebrows at her. "It's alright, really," he said thoughtfully before taking another sip. She continued glaring at him. "I see you're not interested in my beverage commentary." She narrowed her eyes.

"Can I please drain you now? I'm ready to pass out. I can't do it."

"I noticed. I didn't get into a single accident," he said, tossing the keys on the bed. Lips parted slightly in the shock of being ignored, she forced herself to get off the bed and stood in front of him, blocking his path to the closet.

"Klaus. I'm starving." He merely took another sip. It was all she could do not to bat the cup out of his hands. "I swear to God, if you don't give me permission I'll feed on you anyway. I'm telling you I can't do it." As Klaus continued drinking his smoothie, a familiar chime rang through the suite.

"You ought to get that," he said simply, his grin unwavering. With one, final glare, she swept across the room and retrieved her phone from her purse. The caller ID indicated it was Damon. Smoothies forgotten, her stomach flipped. This was the first contact she'd had from him since she'd gotten here.

"Hello?" she asked evenly.

"How's it going, cupcake?" asked Damon. He leaned back in the large, leather chair in one of the many offices in the boarding house. For the last few days, he'd tried to avoid calling Rin, but found himself missing his rebound after a while.

_Cupcake?_ thought Klaus, scoffing as he changed into sweatpants.

"Terrible. It's fucking horrible. He won't let me feed. He stole my car." Damon kicked his feet onto the desk.

"He won't let you feed? Why?"

"To give me incentive to do something I don't know how to do," she said huffily, fully aware that Klaus was listening. "He's a sadist." From the closet, Klaus merely laughed, just loud enough for her to hear.

"And what is he trying to get you to do?" asked Damon, intrigued. Klaus was actually training her. He was doing Damon's job. It annoyed him, but it meant Rin was getting stronger, which was definitely a good thing. What he really wanted to know, however, was Klaus' plan, but he figured Klaus was within earshot. That would be a conversation to occur over text messages.

"Target a source I can't see," she said, leaning against the office wall. Damon was silent for a moment, pondering this.

"Why can't you do it?" Rin closed her eyes, annoyed at his prodding. Right now, training was the last thing she wanted to discuss.

"I don't know, Damon! I've been trying for days!" sighing again, she tangled a hand in her hair.

"And so far… you've only tried him?" asked Damon, ignoring her anger. She was notably upset. _I guess that's a starving telepath,_ he thought, reminded of a starving vampire.

"Yes," she said evenly, contemplating hanging up.

"Try me." For a second, Rin thought about it, sourcing Damon and targeting Klaus. To her surprise, she heard a grunt from the closet as Klaus felt a stabbing pain in his neck. It hadn't taken any effort at all.

"Oh my god," she said quietly. "It worked."

"Ha! Tell Klaus I said hello," said Damon, pleased with himself. That was certainly an ego boost. Within seconds, Klaus had stormed over and snatched the phone from her.

"Hello, Damon. Goodbye, Damon." With that, he hung up and tossed the phone back into Rin's purse, which was on the desk chair. "I'll overlook that since you finally did it," he said, clearly annoyed.

Damon, meanwhile, poured himself another drink. Though short, that phone call had gone excellently.

"Can I drain you now?" asked Rin quickly, overlooking his disappointment. She'd done what was asked, and now she wanted the reward.

"No. Now you have to wait," said Klaus, scooping his smoothie up from the nightstand before walking out into the main landing. Rin chased after him, not wanting him out of her sight. After trying for days, she was already sure she couldn't source him from a distance, and she wanted _his_ energy, not Damon's.

"I did what you wanted," she said, following him down the stairs with the urgency of an addict.

"Then you did something I didn't want you to do," he added. Though he could have easily sped up and out-ran her to some crevice in the house, he figured he might as well continue enjoying her starvation. Now she was literally following him. Suddenly, he felt a familiar weakness strike him. It always started in his joints, and then spread from there. Whipping around, he found that she had already transformed and had started draining him.

"He called me," she said, wide eyes fixed on him. To force her to stop, he sped into the kitchen before she had a chance to do any damage. Immediately, Rin was back to normal. Enraged, she let out a roar. "Klaus Mikaelson! Goddammit!" In the kitchen, he couldn't help but grin. He'd been playing this game of hide-and-seek with her for days now, and no matter how angry he got, denying her never got old.

However, he couldn't help but wonder why she could use Damon as a remote source and not him. Perhaps it was because she knew Damon very well now? Did she share some kind of special bond with him that made him available to her? The thought made him scowl a bit as he listened to her pace furiously into the dining room, hunting for him.

Either way, it was probably best to let her off soon. They could always play the Starve Rin game next time she had difficulty with a lesson. Maybe next time she'd be able to source him.

Once again calling upon vampiric speed, he appeared behind her, hands on her waist.

"Ask nicely," he purred, grinning. She bristled, as she often did when touched without warning.

"No. Let me drain you." Apparently, her pride was more important to her than her satisfying her hunter. His grip on her waist tightened.

"Only if you ask nicely." Rin could hear the smile in his voice, and being at his mercy was making her feel a little ill. Or maybe that was the starvation.

"I'm not going to ask nicely, Klaus." He leaned in closer to her ear, whispering.

"Oh, but you _will_." Her mind flashed immediately to her thoughts from earlier that week. Sometimes, Klaus seriously made her question what could be considered sexual. Because what he was doing now was quickly approaching that line.

"For fuck's sake." She cleared her throat, regaining her wandering mind. "Dear Niklaus," began Rin. Klaus grinned further at her use of his full name. "Please let me drain you til you're barely a husk of original douchebag." He drew in a slow breath, as if deliberating.

"Honestly, I'm not sure about that one…" he started. Once again, she let out a roar of frustration, her voice echoing in the dining room. With every passing second, Rin was becoming less patient. It was time to set aside her pride.

"Klaus," she began.

"Full name," he interrupted. Her jaw dropped as she glared over her shoulder, though he couldn't see her expression. That was it. Two could play at this game.

"Oh, do you like it when I use your full name?" She made sure to drop her voice slightly, speaking on a breathy exhale. "Does it excite you, Niklaus?" This time, he rolled his eyes.

"Whether or not it does, you're going to starve until you follow my instructions," he replied coolly, moving her hands to her shoulders. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her neck, pulling her gently into his chest. Rin was definitely one of the more resilient humans he'd known. Despite her suddenly racing heart, she was completely collected on the outside. He wondered if she knew he was aware every time her body reacted to him.

This was easily the closest they'd ever been, physically, and she could feel his slow breaths as his chest pushed against her back.

"Klaus, please, I'm hungry," she said quietly, trying the demure, damsel-in-distress approach. He laughed out loud.

"Please, don't attempt that one again. You've already managed to move into my bedroom," he replied.

"So you caught on," she said over her shoulder.

"Indeed I did. You must be getting very, very tired…" Rin sighed. There was no way out of this.

"Alright, fine." She paused. "Dear Niklaus," she began, using the same breathy tone she'd used earlier. "I'd really love if you let me _suck_ the life out of you right now." Once again, he repressed his laughter.

"Too raunchy; try again."

"You have no sense of humor! You really are a thousand years old!" she cried, leaning her head back onto chest and sighing. If she looked up enough, she could see him grinning down at her. "Dear Niklaus, please let me feed now. Please." There. She'd all but begged.

Finally, he released her. Rin turned around so fast a pang of dizziness struck her through her exhaustion, and she barely registered his bemused smile. She didn't even need to take the time to think about it before she had transformed and began drawing his life force into her mind. Not expecting such a quick attack, Klaus staggered backward into the wall. After regaining his balance, he sank to the floor and sat, closing his eyes as he let his head rest on the surface behind him. As Rin became more and more energized, Klaus slowly drifted into weakness. In the back of his mind, he knew she deserved it, but it only made the process marginally less irritating.

When he felt himself reaching a dangerous point, he opened his eyes to indicate to her that it was time to stop. At first she was so lost in stealing his life force that she didn't notice, so he quietly called her name.

"Rin." She snapped out of her daze and stared back at him. Slowly, he struggled to offer her a pained smile. Rin dropped the transformation and flashed her usual half-smile, walking over to his crumpled figure and offering him a hand. However, Klaus had his own pride issues. Refusing her help, he supported himself with the wall as he forced himself to his feet. "You're getting lethal," he said, half-serious.

"It's easy now," she said, subconsciously tossing her hair over her shoulder. Draining Klaus was definitely one of her favorite activities. Now, she was on top of the world. For a moment, a part of her felt sorry for causing him pain, but she remembered two days of starvation and abandoned her pity.

"I can see that," he said. "I'll be in the attic." Slowly, he made his way up both flights of stairs to the attic as Rin sped back into the bedroom. It was best to keep away from Kol and enjoy her buzz in private.

Klaus, meanwhile, trudged into the attic room. After shutting the door behind him, he flopped onto the bed, exhausted. She'd insisted on feeding off of him, though Damon was technically available. There was obviously something about his energy that she preferred, but he wasn't sure what that could be. After all, he had no knowledge of what different people's energy felt like. He assumed it was like the differing tastes of human blood. Some were just better than others.

He let out a weak laugh._ His_ was just better than others. Rin preferred it. She'd sacrificed her pride for it.

For some reason, this was fulfillment enough for him to ignore the weakness quickly overcoming his body. As he had several times over the last few days, he hoped he was carrying on normally and Rin hadn't noticed any change in him. On the whole, he was in a much better mood as long as he ignored his confusion, and he didn't want to abandon his image for a series of good moods.

He didn't have time to think twice about it before falling into a deep slumber.


	27. Cosmopolitan

**AN: So Breezy is back. It seems like people enjoyed the last chapter and I'm glad, since I had a lot of fun writing it. Thanks, VampireJacinta, you are my only continuous reviewer and I love you for it! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Much love!**

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**Part Twenty-seven: Cosmopolitan**

Rin way lying on her back on Klaus' bed, firing text messages to Damon. Klaus was probably fast asleep, but they had to be careful – she didn't need Klaus catching on to her any more than he already had.

"i haven't been able to figure it out yet really… he's sneaky," she sent.

"tell me something i don't know. did you already look around his room?" replied Damon.

"three days ago. nothing. but he's always in the attic. might be something there,"

"can you get up there?"

"not easily. when he's not in there it's locked & he watches me like a hawk."

"careful, princess."

She locked her phone and tossed it onto the bed, standing up abruptly. It was pretty clear what she had to do. There had to be a way into the attic, and soon enough, she'd figure it out.

The other issue was Kol. He definitely had information, and Rin needed to get him alone and convince him to spill whatever secrets Klaus was hiding, but she had no idea what Kol had in store, either. Would he try to kill her just to get to Klaus? Or did he have his own plan? If he did try to hurt her, could she take him without the safety of the barrier? The situation was delicate.

For now, she was bored. There was a wide window in the office and she'd already spent a lot of time looking out of it. Right now, it was mid-afternoon, and the sun was flowing into the suite, which was nice, but she craved breathing the fresh air. She hadn't really been outside all week. Aside from that, here, it was the same thing every day – reading, training, sleeping, messing with Klaus. It got old. After just six days, she craved her life with her friends and her apartment. There was really nothing stopping her from leaving, but Klaus would kill her. That is, if Kol didn't do it first.

She sighed. The room was starting to feel like solitary confinement when Klaus wasn't around. She shot Breezy a text message. Earlier, she'd told her she was ditching school for a while to stay with a "hot older guy".

"getting bored. sneaking out tonight. where are we going babe?" A few minutes later, Breezy replied.

"was waiting 2 hear from u again :] road trip? giorango?"

"down. my place, 8pm." It was an hour and a half to New York, and they never arrived before eleven. Breezy's dad, an international business mogul, was a regular at The Giorango Luxe. The two of them were always on the guest list, and the Giorango was a slightly more intimate setting than Provocateur and the other big-name clubs downtown. However, it was every bit as ritzy.

Rin didn't really plan on "sneaking out". The plan was more like "get in her car and drive off" – what was Klaus going to do? Lock her in his room?

She hesitated. She couldn't quite put it past him.

No, she would make him let her leave. It was one night, and he could tell her if Kol went out hunting for her. Her scent was all over the house, anyway – how would Kol know if she wasn't around for a night?

Rin spent some more time reading and finishing off her smoothie and soon it was seven forty-five. Time to act. Klaus was in the living room watching the news, as she gathered up her purse and started down the stairs. Immediately, he was in front her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, blocking her path to the door. "Kol is home. You need to get back in the room."

"It's Friday. Actually, I'm going clubbing with Breezy," she told him, sighing. Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.

"Not while Kol is in town."

"He's not leaving anytime soon. It's been six days – he hasn't tried shit. I've been inside forever. I'm _going_." She started to shove past him and he grabbed her arm, holding her in place. A tense moment passed as they exchanged death glares before Klaus finally relented, rolling his eyes.

"Fine. Wait here," he said. Rin looked at him questioningly before he disappeared for less than thirty seconds. When he returned to the grand foyer, he was in slacks, a matching blazer, and a fitted, light grey, silk button-down.

"No way," she said, her lips twisting into a slow smirk. "No _way._"

"Where are we headed?" he asked, returning her smile.

"The Giorango Luxe…" she said, her eyes devouring him. Klaus pulled off formalwear exceptionally well.

"Excellent. Marshal Giorango was a friend of mine in the 1860s," he said, pulling his keys from his pocket. Rin raised a brow at him. "We'll take my car."

"You knew the founder? Hm. We're probably going in Breezy's 'Vette, though," she said, following him into the garage.

"Something tells me you'll change your mind in a moment." He flicked the garage lights on and several vehicles covered in black cloths were revealed. When he pulled the covering on the far end of the massive room, Rin's jaw nearly dropped. It was a silver Aston Martin db9 Volante. The convertible. If it had been in Magma Red, it would be her dream car.

"Why the hell would you steal _my_ car?!" she asked, stunned as they made their way across the garage, winding in between the other veiled vehicles. Clearly, she'd underestimated the incredible wealth of the Mikaelson family - this car cost a minimum of two hundred thousand dollars. What could be under the other coverings? Klaus smiled at her.

"To piss you off," he said, opening the door to the passenger side. "You're driving, love." Rin barely had time to react before catching the keys he'd tossed. She couldn't help herself as she beamed at him, taking a seat.

"I have no idea how I'm going to pay you back for this," she said, leaning her head on the steering wheel as she looked at him. Klaus only smirked at her.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" he reminded her. A roar echoed through the garage as Rin revved the engine before she took off. Klaus laughed to himself. _She was born to drive this,_ he thought. Rin was the first person other than him to drive this car, and in the driver's seat, she looked perfectly at home. For a moment, he contemplated letting her keep it, but quickly pushed the thought out of his mind. Gifts didn't seem appropriate for their relationship.

When they reached Rin's apartment, Breezy was already waiting in her black Corvette in the parking lot. The three of them made their way upstairs. When she tried to return the keys to him, Klaus insisted that she hold onto them for now. _Looks like I'm driving to New York, too, _she thought excitedly.

Breezy was still in jeans and an old t-shirt since she'd wanted to wear a dress she'd left at Rin's a few weeks ago, so both the girls had to get ready. As they sifted through the piles of clothing, Klaus channel surfed and read a women's magazine Rin had left on the counter.

"Klaus, what are you reading?" asked Rin, wishing she hadn't left the copy of _Cosmopolitan_ where he could find it.

"A magazine. Enlightening myself in the ways of women," he said solemnly as he was assaulted with the scent of perfume after flipping a page.

"He's learning about breast health and how to suck a dick," said Breezy, throwing a pair of stockings over her shoulder. Klaus laughed quietly in the other room. Breezy was like an exaggerated, vulgar, blonde version of Rin. "Where the _fuck_ is that gold dress?!" Exasperated, she collapsed into the pile of clothing.

"Check the other pile," said Rin, looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror. Klaus couldn't see either of them except through the doorway when they moved from one end of the bedroom to the other, and had been trying to catch a glimpse of what Rin was wearing. Women's fashion these days had the potential to go extremely well or horrendously wrong. She'd already picked a dress as Breezy fervently searched for the gold number she'd lost after changing into her pajamas, still drunk, the last time they'd gone out.

The dress was rather short, its hem falling about a foot above her knee. Off-the-shoulder, it was a deep burgundy and created the illusion of being wrapped around her body, clinging to her thin waistline and exaggerating her curves. She'd pinned her hair into a complicated up-do that was piled on her head, drawing attention to her sloping cheekbones and the curve of her neck, around which she wore a simple silver necklace. On her feet were black stilettos adorned with bows around the ankles. After years of practice, she'd perfected the art of walking in these problematic shoes, and it had been entirely worth it. With the completed outfit on, she looked marvelous, and she knew it.

On the other side of the room, Breezy had finally found the dress and was beginning to pull it on. Rin decided to get a drink before leaving, but on her way into the kitchen she noticed an old photograph she'd left on her bedside table. Before striding into the kitchen, she tucked it into a drawer.

When she entered the kitchen area, Klaus looked up from _Cosmo_ and couldn't look away. This was definitely an example of women's fashion going splendidly well – Rin looked like a goddess. _Oh my god._ Before she turned around, he looked back at the magazine, but found he'd forgotten the topic of the mundane article he'd been reading.

She came around the counter and leaned against it with her glass in hand. Klaus suddenly seemed extremely focused on the magazine. _Great, he's already seen me,_ she thought, taking a sip.

"What do you think, Niklaus?" she said, masking her voice in a layer of innocence. There was something about the way his full name sounded in her voice. It was almost like a dirty word, and he loved it. He looked up and gave her a once-over.

"You look lovely. In fact, I don't know if I should let you out like that. There won't be men left for your friend," he said, smirking. He was lucky Rin wasn't the only one with the gift of appearing composed. Breezy marched into the living room and wrapped her hand around Rin's waist. She was entirely in gold, and with her blonde hair, she shone from head to toe.

"Don't be ridiculous," she started, tossing her hair over her shoulder and leaning her head against her friend. "There are _always_ men left for me. If a guy doesn't want Rin, chances are, he's looking for someone like me," she said, grabbing her clutch. Rin smiled and rolled her eyes. She would have said something, but it was true – guys either wanted her or Breezy. Never both, rarely neither. "Besides, Rin's got you," she said, leading the way into the elevator. Rin mumbled under her breath so Klaus could hear.

"Pardon my friend; she thinks I'm living with you because we're a thing."

"Well I'm glad you told her the truth," replied Klaus, grinning at her.

"I also told her I'm using you for your money," she added, shooting him a glare. He snaked his arm around her waist.

"Then you're only fooling her," he whispered, his lips brushing against her temple. Rin's stomach flip-flopped and she twisted out of his grasp as they got into the elevator, sighing at him with a small, bemused smile. "Breezy. That's not your real name, is it?" Breezy didn't look up from the mirrored wall as she applied her lipstick.

"It's Brianna," she replied. In seconds, they were settled in the convertible. "We'll leave the hood down on the way back, Rin, I'm not letting the wind fuck up our hair," said Breezy.

"Good call," replied Rin as she pressed the button for the hood to cover the vehicle. Klaus chuckled to himself – he could see why the girls were friends. They didn't ask questions, and they watched out for each other. For a fleeting moment, Klaus wished he had a friend like that. Then, he glanced over at Rin, who was thoroughly enjoying her drive as they flew down the highway. It was alright. For now, he had something better.


	28. Psycho

**AN: Anddd here we are in the club. Thanks for your review, VampireJacinta. If everyone isn't already worshipping her, please start. Now. (:**

**Part Twenty-eight: Psycho**

Everything in The Giorango was bathed in a dull, purple glow. Klaus sat at the bar and sipped his martini, watching the horde of bodies on the dance floor. Such a lively crowd made him hungry, but there was no way he could feed here without someone noticing, and over the years Klaus had learned the important of stealth. Rin and Breezy had long since disappeared onto the dance floor, and he kept losing track of them. They moved so quickly. One minute, Rin was dancing with her friend, the next minute, she was… Wait. Where was she?

There was no sign of her. His stomach turned as he pictured her flirting with some stranger in another room. He pushed the thought out of his mind. What she did here was none of his business, right?

Rin was, in fact, flirting with a stranger, but with a purpose. She and three other well-dressed young people were crammed into the women's bathroom, passing a joint around, which just so happened to belong to said stranger. The man next to her was tall, had dark blonde hair, and perfect, sloping features. What caught her eye in the first place, however, was his well-tailored suit. It perfectly accentuated his lean shoulders, and she had been interested in pursuing him, at least for a little while. Unfortunately, now she was getting a little bored. Pressing her back into his chest, she leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"I might have to disappear soon," she said huskily. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he took a hit, and then held the joint to her lips.

"But we're having such a good time, babe," he said. His use of the word "babe" was seriously killing her high. He was cute, but there was no reason to stick around if he didn't impress her mentally. She smiled up at him and twisted around to place a light kiss on his neck just as someone across the circle finished up the joint.

"Au revoir," she said, waving over her shoulder at him. He grinned back at her, but with a bit of a cold expression on his face. Rin immediately procured her phone from her clutch. Time to spice up the night a little.

"i'm at the giorango in nyc. come find me?" Damon snatched up his phone from the couch and read the text as he flipped through channels.

"my princess awaits. i'll be there soon," he sent back.

"more like your queen." Damon smirked, glad she'd found a way out. Earlier, he had contemplated inviting himself over to Klaus', but had a feeling he wouldn't get through the front door. That was a project for another day.

Rin smiled and put her phone back in her clutch. Now all she had to do was kill a couple of hours while Damon got here. Her eye landed on Breezy, who was shining like a flashlight in the dim lighting. As usual, Breezy was drinking too much, surrounded by a group. She marched over to her friend's seat at the bar and decided to interrupt her shot consumption. Before Breezy even noticed, Rin had plucked a glass from her set and downed it quickly, fighting back a gag at the taste of vodka.

"Care to introduce me, Breeze?" she asked, leaning in toward her friend. Breezy threw her arms around Rin.

"Rin! Oh my god. Guys, this is my best friend Rin." The group nodded their greetings, all fairly drunk themselves.

"Nice to meet you, Rin," said one of the guys as he came around the group to approach her. "Jack. Can I buy you a drink? You look familiar." His eyes were bloodshot. Judging by the smile on his face, it was pretty clear he was stoned as well.

"You must have seen me in a dream last night," she said sarcastically. The "you-look-familiar" line was one she'd gotten a few times now. "And I'd love a drink." The twenty-something grinned at her and ordered two New York cocktails. He was about as tall as her friend from earlier that night, with spiked brown hair and Mediterranean-looking features. Rin didn't find herself particularly interested, but she was getting a free drink.

Jack settled onto the barstool next to her just as the bartender brought over their drinks. He took a sip, looking at her over the edge of his glass.

"Rin. Got a last name?" he asked casually.

"Yamamoto," she replied, wondering idly what his energy might feel like,

"So you're Japanese. Cool."

"Yep, one hundred percent. What about you?" she asked, flashing a sultry smile and leaning towards him.

"Greek. One hundred percent," he said, returning her grin.

Klaus saw the two of them from across the bar. It was an L-shape, and he was on the opposite end of the L. Some brunette model had been asking him what he did for a living while he watched Rin and the stranger exchange pleasantries over drinks. Something about it made him uncomfortable, but he couldn't quite place what it was.

"Excuse me," he said to the young woman, grabbing his martini and pushing through the crowd to find her.

"Rude," said the woman, pursing her lips as he walked away.

"Hello, love," said Klaus, plastering a smile on his face as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Who's this?" Jack was a little put off. Was this her boyfriend or something? Rin looked up at him, smiling, but with a deliberate look in her eye. _Stop that,_ she seemed to say, turning back to Jack. She was getting a little buzzed and the last thing she wanted to deal with was Klaus expressing his ownership over her in front of a random stranger. Well, that she could probably deal with, but if he kept this up when Damon got here and she couldn't get away, she would blow a fuse.

"This is Klaus. He's—"

"We live together," he interrupted, staring at Jack.

"_Temporarily,_" said Rin, taking a huge gulp of her cocktail. Perhaps getting drunk faster would block out the memory of Klaus dropping a nuclear bomb on her social life for the moment. It wasn't like she was going to sleep with the guy, she was just flirting. "It's not like a… romantic thing," she said, taking another sip. Klaus rolled his eyes, a gesture Jack did not miss.

"Temporarily. Got it," said Jack, eyeing Klaus. "You know, I'm gonna hit the dance the floor for now. I'll catch you later, Rin." He got up, gathering up his cocktail. "Klaus," he said, nodding at the original vampire. With that, he was gone.

"Are you serious?" she spat, turning to Klaus. "What the hell was that?"

"I didn't like the way he carried himself," said Klaus somberly, finishing off his martini.

"He was buying me a drink. It doesn't matter how he carries himself, I was just talking to him!" she cried, taking another massive gulp of her cocktail. It was almost gone.

"Well, now I'm buying you a drink, and you're talking to me," said Klaus, taking a seat on what used to be Jack's barstool. "Bartender, I'll have two glasses of Cristal." Rin raised a brow at him. That was an expensive drink. The bartender returned a moment later with the glasses and Rin slowly took a sip, wondering what Klaus' motive was here. Earlier, he'd let her drive the db9, and now he was buying her expensive wine. He wouldn't do all these favors without some kind of ulterior motive. "There. That's a real drink," he added, still annoyed at Jack.

In fact, all week he'd been acting strange – he hadn't lost his temper, really, and although he'd been in a good mood, but he'd been weirdly possessive of her. After already getting used to his usual, explosive self, this new Klaus was a little strange to adjust to, and difficult not to be suspicious of.

"What're you doing, Klaus?" asked Rin. It was a loaded question. He looked at her strangely for a moment.

"I don't know what you mean," he said, handing a hefty tip to the bartender.

"All this. Coming with me, letting me drive, the wine. What are you planning?" Klaus had gulped down half his drink already. Vampire's tolerance called for more alcohol than usual, and faster.

"I came with you so Kol wouldn't get the idea he could follow you here. I let you drive because you've been cooped all week, and I bought you the wine because you ought to improve your taste in drink _and_ in men," he said briskly, thrilled that he was actually feeling a slight buzz.

"So you're trying to sway me away from the most elite of New York's party-goers. Interesting," she said, taking another sip. "Who could possibly be more fitting for me?" she asked. "Who could be richer, better looking, or more understanding of my needs?" she paused, letting her pointedness sink in. The alcohol was taking its effect on her faster than she remembered, probably because she rarely made a habit of drinking. "Or are you trying to remind me that I should be more faithful to Damon?"

"I honestly don't know why you're so taken with him," said Klaus, ignoring the rest of her inquiries. He simply did not have an answer.

"Because he's fun. It's a relatively new concept; you might not be familiar," she said, cutting him deeply. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she was being cruel. He'd only shooed off a guy she wasn't really interested in to begin with, but for some reason she was feeling bitter.

"Yeah, Klaus. Because I'm fun." Damon was suddenly next to her, smirking at Rin's drunken coldness. It was even worse than her regular coldness. Immediately, she forgot her bitterness.

"Damon! You made it," she said, flashing her half-smile at him.

"You invited him?" asked Klaus, irritated. He supposed it was only fair to let her spend time with whoever she pleased, but for God's sake, _Damon_? Now? Was this really necessary?

What happened next caught him off-guard. Right in front of him, Rin leaned up to deliver a passionate kiss to Damon's lips. Instinctively, he pulled her close for a minute before pulling away, smiling down at her curiously. It was very unlike her to put forth such a public display of affection.

Klaus could barely stop himself from crushing the glass in his hand. If there hadn't been so many people around, he might have punched the younger vampire right then and there. Even after Damon pulled away, he couldn't get the image of her leaning up towards him out of his mind. Why him? One of the Salvatore brothers. His sworn enemy until one of them died. Surely there was more to him than the fact that he was "fun" that attracted Rin.

"Care to dance, princess?" he asked, taking Rin's hand. She quickly downed the rest of her wine and placed the glass back on the bar.

"I've been waiting," she said, smirking at him. She turned back to Klaus. "I'll see you in a bit, Klaus!" Suddenly, she was smiley and bright. For the moment, it disgusted him. He watched as Damon led her to the dance floor and the two of them moved to the music, pressed close to each other. Breezy tapped him on the shoulder. She was thoroughly inebriated.

"See, I can see that you're totally in love with her," she slurred. "But don't get too sad about it. She's with that guy because he's easy and reckless, and Rin likes reckless guys. They never push her, you know? She can take advantage of a reckless guy in a second." Breezy took another sip of her drink. "What _I_ think is that one of these days someone is going to come along and push her and she'll actually love somebody for once. Yeah?" Klaus eyed her curiously. Sometime in the twenties, he'd learned that alcohol did sometimes make a person honest. Was Breezy being honest here?

"What do you mean by 'push'?" he asked, knowing she was past the point of remembering this in the morning.

"Challenge her. Put her on the spot. No guy has ever had the balls to challenge her. _Especially_ not Damien or whatever. He's in love with someone else, even. It's hilarious how she can get into his head like that," she said, laughing far too much at her own words.

But hadn't Klaus challenged her already? He'd forced her to starve herself of energy for two days. That was quite a challenge. "But I can tell you right now why she doesn't like you, Mr. Rich Older Guy," continued Breezy. Klaus stared at her as she finished off her drink, awaiting her answer. She was silent.

"Well?"

"Oh! Sorry, my last drink for the night, I think. Um, she doesn't like you because…" She trailed off, as if trying to remember. "Right, 'cause secretly she's like scared of you. I think. But she thinks you're hot." She paused. "Like she said she thinks you're a psycho or something but at least you're hot, yeah?" Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. Rin wasn't scared of anything. Had she really called him a psycho?

Mentally, he shrugged. Klaus was a bit of a psycho, and he knew it.

"Intriguing. Doesn't matter, since I'm not interested," he added for good measure. Without skipping a beat, he ordered another drink, abandoning thoughts of Rin and Damon for the time being.


	29. Mistakes

**AN: This chapter should really be called, "In Which Klaus Makes a Series of Questionable and Inconsistent Decisions," but that was a bit long.**

**Thanks, RealHuntress18 and VampireJacinta! He's not quite obsessed with her, more a slave to his possessiveness, I think. He's just confused about what the possessiveness means right now. And haha I thought about maybe making him hook up with Breezy but I couldn't really see her being interested in him at all, plus I wanted to make them more loyal friends than that xD**

**Part Twenty-nine: Mistakes**

After several more drinks, Klaus decided he'd had enough and it was time to begin sobering up for the drive home, since there was no way in hell Rin would be sober enough to drive. He'd had somewhere in the realm of fifteen drinks, so it'd probably take him at least an hour to sober up. Undead tolerance was a bitch sometimes.

As he stood up, it took a minute to attain balance. Excellent. Before he knew it, he was talking to a group of people about something or other, but he couldn't quite remember their names. There was a beautiful redheaded woman, her husband, and someone who resembled a man he'd seen on television once, but he couldn't exactly place him. After a while, he began wandering over to where he'd last seen Rin and Damon, but found himself in a different room. Though it was impossible to determine direction and he was carrying on conversations he had no idea how to have, he was enjoying the chaos.

Someone grabbed his arm, which brought him back down to earth, somewhat.

"Klaus! There you are. I've been looking everywhere," said Rin. She was flushed. Though his drunkenness, the slow beating of her heart seemed to be the only sound in the room all of a sudden. His eyes fell to her exposed neck and he saw two bite marks already there. Who could that be? Had he fed on her earlier tonight? Already? Why didn't he remember? "I want you to dance with me," she said, a highly uncharacteristic smile spread across her face. Klaus didn't question it.

"Anything you want, love," he mumbled, letting her lead him to the dance floor. As they passed through an entryway into a nearly-empty room, Klaus stopped. "Where are you taking me?" he asked. They were headed away from the dance floor. "Rin?" She turned around, confused.

"I don't know, are we going the wrong way?" Klaus could see genuine confusion on her face, but it didn't quite register in his mind. Was she playing some kind of joke on him? Where were they going? She turned around and stumbled a little in her massive heels. Vampire reflexes still at least somewhat intact, he reached out to steady her. As she reached up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear and straighten up, he caught her eye.

For the moment, it felt normal to have his arms around her, listening to the telltale sound of her heart rate picking up. Those quick beats were becoming more and more familiar to him. It seemed like the closer he got to her, the faster her heart went. He remembered how it had stayed so steady when she'd kissed Damon. Was it fear?

The moment passed and he released her, letting her stand on her own and looking away. It couldn't be normal to be so close to her. He had a plan, right? He tried to remember it. She'd be dead. Oh, God. She'd be dead. He looked back at her, horrified. She was messing with her hair, trying to get it to go back into the complex up-do she'd contrived earlier. It wasn't working. Pausing, she caught his eye once more.

"You're looking at me so weird, Klaus," she slurred, laughing a little. "What is it?" He tried to picture the expression on his face. Probably terror. Seeing her here, in a beautiful dress with her hair falling out of its look, compared with the image in his drunken mind of her dead body was enough to terrify him. He was going to kill someone flawless and powerful. No. How? "Klaus? Are you okay?" Frustrated, she abandoned her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders. He only became more horrified with himself, watching her jet black hair unfurl around her, slightly wavy from time spent styled.

Tentatively, he took a step forward, reaching for her. His fingers found her dark locks and tangled themselves, his thumb lightly resting on her temple as his other hand reached for her waist. For a second, they just looked at each other in silence. The bass of the music felt like a long-forgotten memory to him, somewhere in the distant past or far, far away. "Klaus…?" she questioned. Even through her drunkenness she could pick up on the fact that something was unusual about this. Their loaded eye contact was startling her a little, but she wasn't sure she minded.

He didn't have to think. There was nothing to think about. He could feel her shaking ever so slightly as he brought his lips to hers. It was a cautious kiss, perhaps the one thing he'd done with her that he'd been uncertain about. For a split second, he thought she wouldn't return it, but she pressed herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He broke away immediately. Feeling her react shocked him a little. _God, she's drunk,_ he thought, looking at her with the same horror from a moment ago.

His mind flashed to the first time he'd fed on her. How she'd looked at him with such trust in her eyes. It was the same look she was giving him now – as if she knew somehow that he wouldn't hurt her, and she wanted more. How she'd groaned, almost delighting in the ecstasy of her own danger. He'd said it then, and he realized it was still true – Rin got off on fear. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he let himself go.

In less than a second, her body was pressed between his and the blood-red wall. He kissed her again, with the urgency of a man who needed to take a hundred things back. How he'd tried to manipulate her and use her, the horrible plan he'd had in store for her, and for almost ending her life himself. For his uncontainable rage and even his jealousy of the people she chose to spend her time with. She groaned as he buried her in kisses and arched against him, digging her hands into her hair. Pulling away momentarily, he delved into the crevice of her neck, trailing tiny kisses near the place where she'd been bit and onto her collarbone. On his way back up, his lips brushed against her wound. Immediately, she gasped and pushed against his chest with her hands.

"Klaus, don't!" _Shit,_ he thought, meeting her eyes again.

"I'm sorry, I—"

"I thought you were—"

"I shouldn't have—" They realized they were interrupting each other and fell silent. Klaus spoke again, still unable to wipe the look of utter confusion and terror off his face. "I'm sorry, you're drunk," he said simply, noticing how distinctly intoxicated she looked. Her makeup was a mess, and she was even more flushed now than she was before. To him, she looked beautiful. But he shouldn't have done this while she was drunk. It wasn't right.

"I'm not that drunk," she said, looking away.

"Yes, you are. You're a hundred and ten pounds and you had at least four drinks. You're drunk." She paused, her lips slightly parted.

"I just thought you were going to feed on me," she said quietly, looking back up at him. "And Damon did, and I don't know if it'd be… safe… since I haven't fed, so…" Her voice trailed off for a second. "It didn't heal."

Of course. Damon had fed on her, and that was the first time anyone had fed on her when she wasn't buzzed on someone's energy, so she was concerned that she would actually die if Klaus fed on her now. As if he lacked the self-control to stop when he felt she was going. Ridiculous.

"I wasn't going to, not here," he said. "I shouldn't have even…" He looked at the ceiling, at a loss. She probably wouldn't even remember this in the morning. For now, she cocked her head at him and placed her hand on his cheek, bringing his eyes down to hers.

"Then why did you?" The weight of the question completely grilled him. There was no way he could answer that. He didn't have an answer for himself, let alone for her. Hopefully, tomorrow he could chalk it up to a drunken mistake. For now, he had to cover it up. Looking into her eyes, he willed his voice to compel her.

"You're not going to remember this tomorrow," he said. He couldn't rely on the alcohol to wipe her memory. There had to be some kind of guarantee that she wouldn't know what had happened. Besides, he had a plan to stick to, and having this sort of complication involved would make it extremely difficult to let go of her when the time came. She only looked at him curiously for a moment, as if unable to figure out what he was doing.

"You can't compel me, Klaus. Damon gave me something with vervain in it," she said, smirking at him. Klaus' eyes widened and he let go of her, taking a step back. There was no point in asking what it was – why would she tell him?

"Well you won't remember anyway, since you're drunk," he said coldly. "It's almost four AM. We need to get back." Grabbing her wrist, he started walking back into the main part of the club. The crowd was thinner now, and he spotted Breezy chatting with someone near the door. He quickly gathered her up and brought them outside. When the valet brought the car, he dumped Breezy in the back and let Rin help herself into the passenger side before taking the driver's seat. He was sober enough to drive now. Thank god, because he wanted this hellish night to come to an end.

Almost as soon as the car started moving, Rin's head tipped onto the center console and she was fast asleep, her silver hair reflecting moonlight. In the rearview mirror, it was clear that Breezy had passed out as well. He was surprised the drunken blonde had even made it through the night, considering the amount of alcohol she'd consumed. Before pulling into the highway, Klaus stopped the car along the side of the road. It had cooled down considerably and although he'd left the hood up, it didn't seem right to let her sleep like this. Either way, she wouldn't know what he did now, anyway, right?

Shrugging his blazer off his shoulders, he wrapped it around her tiny body. It really was like a blanket on her. With that, he started the car once more and turned into the highway. When he dropped Breezy off at her house (since she was far too drunk to drive her car back from Rin's apartment), Rin didn't even stir. She was out cold.

Close to six AM, he pulled into his own driveway and into the garage. Now he had to wake her – he wasn't about to play the hero again and carry her into his bedroom. He opened the door to the passenger side and stroked her arm over the blazer, trying to disturb her enough to wake her without making her angry. "Rin?" he said quietly into her ear. He repeated her name a little louder and her eyes fluttered open.

"Klaus? Whatthefuck?" she mumbled, closing her eyes tight again. The harsh lighting in the garage was irritating her eyes.

"We're home. You need to go to bed now," he said impatiently, lifting the blazer from her body. Perhaps the cold would help to wake her.

Rin murmured something incomprehensible, half asleep, and he gave up on gentleness, realizing it would never work. Sighing, he shook her slightly more aggressively and she lifted her head, trying to focus on him through squinted eyes. She murmured something else, still impossible to understand, as Klaus all but forcibly helped her out of the car. As they went up the stairs, she continued murmuring to herself, all the way until they were in his room. For the first time since they'd gotten in the car, she looked more or less awake.

"Back here," she said quietly, still mumbling. He thought he'd caught an insult or two, probably directed at him, but there was no way to be sure.

"Yes. Are you going to change?" he asked, kicking off his shoes. In seconds, he'd changed into pajama pants and was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, waiting for her to get ready for bed so he could leave. After the incident last night, he wanted to make sure she was actually asleep before he left – letting her wander around the house, especially drunk, would attract Kol in a second.

He was getting tired himself, but more from thirst than anything. The thought of feeding on her crossed his mind but he remembered her fear from earlier. There was no way he could do that now – not without her sober permission. After she was in bed, he'd go out. But she was still standing in the middle of the room, silent. "Rin?" he asked again, opening his eyes. She grumbled at him and turned away, reaching for the zipper on the back of the dress. Klaus' heart skipped a beat. She was going to undress. Now. In front of him.

His mind flashed to the first time he'd seen her in the pond – she'd been in her underwear then, too. But he'd been looking at her differently. It wasn't like this, not after they'd made out in a club and after they'd been living together for a week. He tried to remind himself that it was just the alcohol, and that she was here for protection and nothing more, but the lines were all blurred in his head. Another mundane thought crossed his mind – it was an off-the-shoulder dress. Was she even wearing a bra?

Rin's fingers finally found the zipper. As she pulled it down, it was revealed that yes, she was, in fact, wearing a bra – a strapless one, in lacey red. He knew he should look away. Already, he'd proved himself to be relatively scummy what with making a move on her while she was intoxicated, but it was so difficult to tear his eyes away from her body as the dress fell to her heels. To match the lacey red bra, she was wearing tiny red panties. Until now, he'd only seen her in simple black underwear, not this decorative lingerie. In the early sunlight beaming in through the curtain, every curve of her body was illuminated, a shadow cast in the tiny indent of her spine.

His guilt won out as he shifted his gaze to a wall just as she turned around. She still looked like she was half asleep, though she did not yet have silver hair, and she mumbled to herself as she collapsed to the floor, struggling with her shoes. Klaus couldn't help but smile a little as she gave up, mumbling a curse word and curling into a heap right there on the carpet. The shoes really did look lethal. There was no way he could just leave here there.

Sighing, he kicked his legs over the edge of the bed and kneeled next to her, undoing the bows and buckles on her shoes. Slowly, he pulled them off, careful not to disturb her too much, and left them on the floor as he lifted her carefully. She seemed to be fast asleep, despite still having not transformed. Trying not to wake her, he placed her as gently as he could onto the bed, thankful that he hadn't turned the lights on when they'd walked in. He couldn't help but notice how soft the skin of her back was.

But as he pulled his hands from her body, her eyes fluttered open again. _God, is she awake or asleep?_ he wondered, looking down at her curiously. Though she still looked sleepy, she was definitely somewhat awake. He tried to make eye contact with her for a moment, but she was looking at the floor, mumbling something. "What?" he asked, hoping to figure out what she meant to say.

"Areyougoingback?" she said, struggling to look up at him through her exhaustion.

"Back where?" he asked, sure to keep his mask of coldness on. He didn't want her remembering too much kindness. In response, she only mumbled something incomprehensible again and reached out a shaking hand to pull on his wrist. Did he actually want her to _stay_?

She tugged on it again, still mumbling. Deciding to test out his theory, he pulled his hand away quickly. Once again, she struggled to look up at him. In her tired, glassy gaze was the same trust she'd shown him earlier. What was going on? Was he hallucinating somehow?

He kneeled by the bed, meeting her eyes at her level. "What do you want me to do, Rin?" he asked slowly. Somehow, he knew this would not end well, but he ignored his instinct, hoping for… something. It was difficult to place what, exactly. Rin barely got out one word on a whisper.

"Stay."

No, absolutely not. He couldn't. What would she say in the morning? He was starving, anyway. Being in the same bed wasn't appropriate, either, though she knew he was asking her simply to be there, and nothing more. He took a moment to stare at the wall and mull this over. No matter what, all the conclusions he came to pointed to a resounding "no, you should not do this, Klaus."

But despite all the reasons why he shouldn't, it was impossible to resist. Slowly, he crawled into bed, pulling the blanket over them both. In seconds, she was fast asleep, her silver hair fanned out over his chest.

Klaus, on the other hand, was suddenly wide awake, listening to the hushed sound of her breathing and trying to picture her reaction when she woke. Should he leave before then? He didn't know. The last of the alcohol was fading out of his system and it occurred to him what, exactly, had happened tonight.

Horrified, he shoved her off of him and stormed up the stairs into the attic. He had to feed, and possibly pray for Rin to forget the majority of the night.


	30. Fear

**AN: Thanks VampireJacinta and RealHuntress18! All hell has broken loose and their relationship is finally becoming a thing, lol. I'm so excited about this club drama xD In the last chapter I actually wanted him to stay but it was really out of character. I'm hoping this next part isn't too out of character now. asjdfks;abea**

* * *

**Part Thirty: Fear**

The first thing Rin was aware of when she woke was the penetrating dizziness. The room seemed to be spinning around her. Groaning, she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow, waiting for the headache to go away. She was reminded why she didn't make a habit of drinking. Hangovers.

For several minutes, her mind was blissfully blank. Then, slowly, the events of the previous night began to fade back to her memory. The car. There was the blonde man, and another who bought her a drink, who was then rudely discouraged by Klaus. Then… Damon, who she'd invited. He'd arrived with a gift – a bracelet with a charm filled with vervain. They'd danced for a while, and in a particularly heated moment he'd kissed her hard and fed on her, and it was wonderful until she realized she wasn't healing. Her vulnerability had frightened her.

Then, she'd sipped on some water, trying to sober up a little, unsure if she'd be driving home and how sober Klaus would be. Damon had gotten as drunk as he could, but was sober within an hour. After some time, he'd had to leave. When she was alone, she'd decided to seek out Klaus again. By then, she was mercifully sober, but starving for energy. But she'd shut it out, wanting to be a regular human being for a while.

She'd found Klaus and, still a little buzzed and feeling sorry about her earlier coldness, asked him to dance, but had gotten lost. And then…

Her heart dropped. Had all that really happened? Did he really think she wouldn't remember? And he'd tried to compel her to make her forget the way he'd kissed her so tentatively and then slammed her against the wall. Where had that urgency some from? Why?

Despite all that, he'd suddenly taken both her and Breezy home. Where had Breezy gone? Oh, right. She'd passed out in the car from exhaustion. Klaus must have taken her home. Come to think of it, she was still craving energy. Anyone's would do right now. The alcohol had really taken it out of her.

And then… He'd woken her up in the car. From then, she didn't remember anything. Was she that tired?

There was a knock on the door. She looked down – she was still in her underwear. Sometime, she must have undressed. She gathered up the blanket around her.

"Yes, Klaus?" she called, inviting him into his own room. It felt a little absurd – Klaus never knocked. When he saw her there, he was a little shocked. Her eyes were sunken and she looked exhausted, despite having slept for so long. It was already nearly four PM, and she'd fallen asleep around six thirty in the morning. It was obvious on her face that she needed to feed.

"I see you're awake," he said coldly.

"Barely. I'm starving, and I have a hangover." She paused. "Also, I'm in my underwear."

"Noted. You can drain me now, if you like," he said nonchalantly as he walked over to the window and pulled the curtains back, letting sunlight flood the room. She winced and dived under the blanket.

"Put the curtains back!" hissed Rin, squeezing her eyes shut. The light felt like a hammer to the head. He raised a brow at her.

"I thought your kind needed sunlight," remarked Klaus.

"Not now! For fuck's sake!" she croaked, her throat bone dry. Klaus obliged, blocking off the light again.

"There. Now feed so I can leave," he said evenly, crossing his arms and looking at the wall. Rin focused as much as she could on transforming and managed to draw just enough energy out of Klaus before reverting back to her usual appearance. Her hangover had her too exhausted and nauseous to take any more.

"That was mild," remarked Klaus, who was still on his feet. The hangover was a little better now that she'd fed. Now it was time to harass Klaus about what happened at the Giorango. Rin sat up straighter, letting the blanket fall from her, and stared at him until his gaze went from the wall, briefly to her chest, and then to her eyes.

"I'm tired," she sighed. "Can't feed much with a hangover. So what happened last night?" she asked innocently, looking slightly more alive. "I can't remember _anything_." Before Klaus rejoiced, he had to take a step back – the way she'd said that was a little questionable. She was looking right at him, as if expecting him to say something, with that snarky little smile.

"We went clubbing. You drank too much, you danced with Damon, he fed on you, and we came home. You fell asleep in the car but woke up just as we got back and went to bed," he said casually, making for the door.

"That's strange," said Rin, thrilled that he was trying to lie to her. "I remember that _you_ woke me up in the car," she said slowly, narrowing her eyes at him slightly. "Am I remembering something that didn't happen?" Klaus stopped in his tracks. Hopefully, that was the only thing she remembered.

"I gave you a little nudge but you woke up all on your own, really," he clarified, his back to her.

"That's good, since Breezy told me when I'm drunk I'm very difficult to wake." She paused. "Thanks for putting your blazer over me, too – that was nice of you. It was a little cold, from what I remember." Oh god. With that, it was pretty clear that she knew way more than she was letting on. He turned back around, flashing his usual fake-looking grin at her.

"Well. I suppose I can be a gentleman occasionally. I'm going downstairs, I have some—"

"A gentleman? Really?" Rin reached up, trying to make sense of her matted hair. "You could have fooled me with the way you were kissing me last night. You know I'm eighteen, right? A little young for a thousand-year-old hybrid, maybe?" She said this as casually as she could, solely for the purpose of irking Klaus. Confused about his motives or not, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Klaus could hardly keep the burn of embarrassment from reaching his face.

"I see you remember. It was a drunken mistake. My apologies," he said, jaw clenched as he stared at the wall again. Rin threw the covers off of her, revealing her nearly naked body, which she had a strong suspicion Klaus had seen already. Kicking her slender legs over the edge of the bed, she pulled all her hair to one shoulder and patted him twice on the chest as she walked past him into the bathroom.

"You're a horrible liar, Klaus," she said over her shoulder, smirking. "Did you really think I'd get drunk enough to black out? I know my limits." She needed a shower, badly.

The jilted original stood in front of the door, stunned. This was really, _really_ not good. She knew. Over and over, he kicked himself. Now, she had leverage over him that she would never let him live down. He might as well kill her now. Or himself. Or Kol, so he could make her leave without worrying about his brother carrying out the plan that was apparently abandoned last night when he decided to kiss the person he was supposed to be sacrificing.

No, he could talk to her. Explain to her that he was really more intoxicated than he thought, and that it seemed like a good idea at a time, the usual human excuses that she could probably buy if he played it right. The truth was, he was drunk, but even in the morning as the alcohol left his system he knew he'd meant what he'd done. The guilt and desire was all real. And it had to go away, _soon_, or his plan really was completely shot.

Once again, he pushed the thought of her death out of his mind. It was a necessary evil, and he would have to live with it.

Wait. Did he not have some leverage over her as well? In the morning when he'd put her in bed – she'd asked him to stay. Had she forgotten? It seemed so, otherwise she might not be acting so cocky about all this. Excellent. There was something, then.

He went down to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of strawberry lemonade, enjoying his significantly better mood. All morning, he'd been stressed that she would wake up and remember. And she had – but not everything. Thank God. He killed twenty minutes milling about the kitchen and ignoring Rebekah's questioning. Apparently, she'd been eavesdropping.

"I can't believe it. Baby brother Nik has gone and kissed the person he plans on slaughtering any day now. What a romantic tragedy," she said, laughing at him over the newspaper.

"Shut up, Rebekah."

"If you think I'm going to pretend I don't know for the sake of your pride you have another thing coming. It's hilarious. I can't wait to tell Kol. I'm guessing he already knows, though. He's here somewhere," she said, still grinning uncontrollably.

"I don't care what you do, dear sister. Your entire existence is meaningless to me."

"And you were hoping she'd forget. God, Klaus. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were actually in love with her. You're very embarrassed, aren't you?" She paused, her eyes widening. "Oh my god, you _are_ in love with her. Oh my god!" She slammed the newspaper down on the table and stood up. "You're in love with a human girl!" she said, laughing at him.

"Rebekah! If you don't shut up _now_, I'll dagger you and leave you to rot in the cellar for fifteen hundred years," he hissed. His sister only smiled sweetly at him, taking her seat again and delicately picking up the newspaper, smiling smugly.

In the shower, Rin went over the events from the previous night once again. Completely sober and slowly becoming free of her hangover, thinking about it was beginning to give her a slight rush. He was an expert, really – the way he'd leaned in so slowly and then pushed her against the wall. After all, he'd had a thousand years of experience. Of course she'd enjoyed it; that was normal. The fact that he was Klaus had nothing to do with it.

Right?

Out of nowhere, the memory of him whispering into her ear as she begged him to let her feed on him came crashing back. She chalked that up to experience and expertise as well and got out of the shower.

Lemonade in hand, Klaus marched back up the stairs, hoping Rin was out of the shower. Sure enough, he could hear her getting dressed through the bathroom door. He sat on one of the armchairs in the room, ready to approach her when she came out. When she did, she barely took notice of him.

"Can I help you?" she asked coolly.

"It wasn't just me," said Klaus, taking a sip of his lemonade. Her wet hair fell over her shoulders and black tank top, making it cling to her body.

"So you're saying I led you on?" Rin raised a brow. Was he really going to pull this card? It would be an overly desperate grasp at his pride, even for him.

"Not at all. But you seem to have forgotten – I put you in bed. I took off those death traps on your feet, and I was about to leave when you asked me something," he said. It didn't matter how kind she thought him to be now.

"Oh, you did that too? Thanks, I was wondering how I got my shoes off. Did you undress me as well?" she asked, smirking.

"No, you did that yourself, and you didn't care that I saw. Do you remember, Rin, what you asked me?" he said evenly, slowly taking another sip. Rin rolled her eyes. He was being immature about this, as if it were some huge deal to him or something.

He seemed more embarrassed than he should. So he'd made out with his student while she was drunk. Did it matter so much to him? Klaus was despicable. Something so minor shouldn't mean a thing. Aside from that, how much did it matter to her? He was a good kisser. And that first time he'd brushed his lips against hers, so carefully – there was no denying that it was electric. But why did it matter so much to him? Rin could make out with someone and forget about it. She'd done that with Damon a few times now.

And how despicable was he, really? He just told her he'd helped her out of her shoes and basically tucked her into bed. And the way he'd apologized after kissing her – he was so sorry for stealing a kiss. Was he really that guilty about it? If he was, it helped to explain his embarrassment.

Why hadn't she forgotten about this yet? Oh, right. He was dragging the lake. He was the one making this a big deal, not her.

"Enlighten me."

"You asked me to stay." He paused. "Rather, you told me to stay." She turned around, smiling coldly.

"You're actually making things up to get back at me for remembering? Wow, I didn't see that one coming, Niklaus," she said, tacking a suggestive note onto his name.

"And _you're_ actually denying it because it doesn't seem characteristic of you. Funny, apparently you consider kissing my pet telepath to be characteristic of me." Ah, he was angry. Regular, raging Klaus. Exactly what she knew. But right now, it was irritating her.

"_Pet_? Is that why you're keeping me here? I'm a house pet. Got it," she said, viciously glaring at him. "Why don't you just admit it, you coward? You wanted to kiss me and now you're losing your mind because you think I didn't want it. Get over yourself. It's just a kiss." It was more than one, obviously, but there was no reason to bring that up. Klaus raised a brow at her questioningly.

"So sorry. Did I think wrong? That you didn't want it?"

Rin froze. She'd let that part slip – that he _thought_ she didn't want it. Great. Saying yes now would look just as pathetic as saying no. She chose her words carefully as Klaus delighted in hearing her heart race.

"It was just a kiss." _I don't care. _Klaus wasn't letting it slide.

"Was. I. Wrong?" he asked again, slowly.

"I don't know why we're having this conversation," she said, turning around to scoop up her shoes. She walked into the closet and placed them on a shelf, but when she tried to leave she found Klaus blocking her path.

"You didn't answer me," he said with a smug smile. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to wipe that grin off his face. Composing herself, she replied with the most cutting thing she could think of.

"I'm in love with Damon," she said, letting a hint of apology creep into her tone for authenticity. Sure enough, Klaus' face fell. For the moment, she thought she'd swayed him to forget about it all, but what he said next caught her off guard.

"Really?" he asked, with just a tiny gap between them. "I feel sorry for him. He might even believe you're slightly interested, and probably thinks he can use you to get over Elena Gilbert." He paused, letting that sink in. "And you might even let him, because you don't care. In fact, I can hear how little you care. It's in how steadily your heart beats when you kiss him. And—" He brushed her quickly drying hair away from her face. "I can hear how it races when I so much as take a step towards you." Her lips parted as if to defy him but for once, she was out of things to say. Was there any way to deny her own body? How had she overlooked the fact that he could literally listen to her heartbeat? "And I can hear something in your voice when you ask me to stay with you as you fall asleep. What is it?" he challenged.

"Fear," whispered, looking down. "I'm just afraid of you," She hadn't even thought about what she was saying –it was true. Despite pushing him, a part of her truly feared him, and that was why she'd resisted getting close to him. That was why the suggestive things he did made her balk – she remembered everything he did to hurt her. Here, in the closet, for the first time, she was losing her cool with him. _I guess he's finally got something over you,_ she thought, the words in her head making her heart beat even faster. Horrified, she realized he was listening right then as well.

As he leaned in closer to her, she thought he might kiss her again, right there in the closet. But he stopped, looking into her eyes from barely an inch away. It felt like he was looking through her skull.

"But you love being afraid," he mumbled, going as far as tilting her head up towards him. With that, he pulled back and turned away from her, about to leave the closet. He'd triggered something in her – what he'd just done could definitely fall under the category of "distinctly sexual." He was pushing her, and she wasn't going to let him get away with that.

Instantly, her hand shot out and she hooked a finger around his belt loop. He turned around, probably to ask what she wanted, and she quickly grabbed the cloth of his t-shirt, dragging him closer to her.

"Klaus," she started. It occurred to her that this was probably a bad idea, but there was no way in hell she was letting him walk away after showing her up like that. "If you're going to toy with me…" She let her hand wander into his hair and took in his shocked expression with delight. "At least do it right." With that, she pulled him down to her by his hair and pressed her lips against his. Klaus had to take a moment to get over his shock. Was this actually happening? When he felt her body press against his, he realized that yes, this was actually happening, and put his hands on her waist, holding her tightly.

She pulled away quickly to shove him, and he played along, falling to the floor. In seconds, she was straddling him, and he closed his eyes as her lips danced along his neck. A smile crept into her kisses when she heard a low moan escape his mouth. His hands found the hem of her shirt and were slowly snaking her up her bare back when she pulled away to sit on his waist.

"And that," she said, standing up to look down at him with one foot on either side of his body. "Is how you toy with someone." After flashing him a cold smile, she exited the closet and went down the stairs for the strawberry lemonade she'd tasted on his tongue. As she poured it into a glass, she smiled at Klaus' older sister.

"Hello, Rebekah," she said sweetly, knowing full well that she'd probably heard what had happened upstairs. She looked up abruptly from the newspaper.

"Congratulations, Rin. He's still lying on the floor," she said, impressed. Rin raised her glass to the blonde vampire before taking a sip.


	31. Friends?

**AN: Oh my god I need to stop staying up until 5am to write these. Asjibe;agjldajg;. Thank you, RealHuntress18 and VampireJacinta. Rin was not about to be one-upped by Klaus xD I'm glad their relationship is entertaining!**

**Part Thirty-one: Friends?**

For the next few days, Klaus was conspicuously distant. They completed their lessons during the day, but outside of those, he was either holed up in his room or hunting. Every night around one-thirty she heard him walking down the stairs from the attic. He stopped in front of his bedroom door, probably to make sure she was breathing slowly enough to be asleep, and then went downstairs and left through the basement exit. Rin was fairly certain he was hunting, and rolled her eyes at his paranoia that she would leave the room again. It was especially entertaining because she often did leave, either for a midnight snack or to look for Kol herself, to grill him for information.

But Kol was more than distant – he was all but absent. She only saw him in passing throughout the day. He'd smirk at her as she poked fun at Klaus during their lessons, or he'd nod at her as he passed her by in the kitchen. Once, when she'd worn a skirt, he'd raised a brow and given her a once-over with a creepy smile, but that was about the greatest damage he'd inflicted on her. The strange thing was that he never seemed to make any attempt to get her alone. Every single time she saw him, she was either with Klaus or Rebekah. Life was getting a little lonely – her only source of danger was not acting dangerous at all, her mentor was no longer trying to provoke her into kissing him in closets, and her only company was blonde, bitchy, and usually sober. Aside from lonely, it was actually bordering on dull.

Granted, she hadn't made any real effort to talk to Klaus or get him to open up. Why should she? He was surly and acting especially cold, even when she jokingly teased him. So, eventually, she'd given up. She focused on her lessons and let him be.

One night, after Klaus disappeared, she was making a routine trip down to the kitchen when something finally happened. As she slowly paced across the kitchen toward the pantry to steal the box of gingersnaps she'd seen earlier that week, she felt a presence behind her.

"You're up late," said a warm voice. She whipped around to find Kol's usual mismatched smile – an inviting grin paired with ice-cold eyes.

"Kol. Do you do that to live up to the creepy vampire stereotype? Have you _seen_ Twilight? Vampires aren't scary anymore," she said. Despite her sarcasm, she was thrilled to see him – this was her chance to finally squeeze some information out of him.

"I do it because normal eighteen-year-old girls jump, and I find that funny," he said, watching her disappear into the pantry and return with the gingersnaps. She pulled herself up onto the counter and took a seat, delving into the cookies. "But you're a little unusual, putting yourself in danger without a flinch."

"If I were in danger, you would have caught me on my first midnight snack run. Why the distance, Kol? Lost interest?" She leaned toward him, holding the box of gingersnaps open for him. He smiled and took one.

"Not at all. Rather, I had something else to attend to. Wanted to figure out where my dear brother was going every night." He paced over to her and whispered comically. "I thought he might have a woman on the side you'd want to know about." Rin only stared at him pointedly as she slowly chewed on her gingersnap. "Please, you know he's in love with you, right?" Rin stared at him for a moment longer.

"Kol, don't even go there." He only smiled in response.

"You'll realize it eventually. I'll make sure of that. Must say, watching Klaus go into angst-ridden, dejected male mode is hilarious. You know he spends his whole day listening to Radiohead? Rebekah and I can hear it across the estate."

"I think you should know better than anyone that it's not like that, eavesdropper," she said with a smile. He might have been evil, but at least he was good company. Did he seriously listen to Radiohead all day? Maybe if they were ever on good terms again, she could tease him about his depression soundtrack.

"Isn't it?" said Klaus, moving closer to her. She cocked her head at him. "Like that?"

"I haven't even had a conversation with him in a while."

"Right, since you left him on the closet floor, wondering how this hurricane of a woman caught him off-guard. Trust me, you'll see it eventually." Rin rolled her eyes.

"So where has he been going, if not to feed on midnight joggers?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation in the right direction.

"He's been meeting with someone." He paused. "Not a girlfriend, of course. That's you. She's a witch. The one who was supposed to help him with his plan."

"_Was_? What do you mean was? He's still _got_ a fucking plan, right?" she said, peeved as she recalled what Klaus had said when she'd asked him about it directly. _I'm beginning to wonder if I know anymore._ There was no way that bullshit was standing true. He had to have a goddamn plan. Otherwise – why was she here? Ditching school? Away from her friends, her weed, and Damon?

"He had a plan. Now, he's not sure. A year ago, he'd promised a witch that he would give her a magical item she'd been hunting down for years in return for completing a spell for him. One that involved you. Now, he's trying to reach some kind of agreement with her. He doesn't want to give her the item, and he doesn't want the spell as it is. She wants the item, and doesn't care for the spell either way." He paused. "Klaus is looking for a different way to complete the spell that doesn't involve killing you."

It would have been an understatement to say that Rin's heart dropped. At first, her mind went completely blank. Could Kol be making it up? No, it made sense. It made perfect, horrible sense. This was the only reason why he wouldn't kill her – he needed her alive until it was time to do the spell. And he was trying to keep her from Kol so he wouldn't tell her she was walking into her own slaughter. Magic? Witches? Like Bonnie? The onslaught of betrayal and new information was enough to keep her quiet for several moments, taking it all in. She didn't even notice she was shaking with rage.

"Hey, it's alright!" said Kol cheerfully, standing before her and placing his hands on her arms. "He's probably not going to kill you," he said. "Like I said – he's looking for a new way to do the spell." Rin slowly looked up at him, disgusted.

"And what, exactly, is this 'spell' supposed to accomplish?" If she'd been more supernatural herself, Kol might have balked at her anger. She was literally emanating heat because of it. He sighed, feigning reluctance, and caught sight of her glare. Better tell her without the theatrics.

"It would transfer your abilities to him."

"What?!" Along with shock, rage, and disgust, a third emotion was now thrown into the mix – regret. Why hadn't she seen this coming? Of course he would want to steal her powers. Klaus' life was just one massive power-trip. He was just as despicable as she'd thought the day he snuck into her apartment and triggered her abilities. "So he doesn't want to kill me but he still wants to steal my telepathy? You're fucking kidding me." She shoved Kol away from her and leaped to the floor, then marched over to the pantry and all but threw the gingersnaps back onto the shelf. Before she could storm away to the stairs, Kol grabbed her arm in an iron grip.

"Wait. I know this is alarming, and I don't mean to cause so much trouble, but I have a way out of the spell for you," he said. For a second, he almost looked earnest, but Rin wasn't so easy to fool. She sighed.

"Kol, what the hell do you want with all this? I know you're not the good guy here, either." Of course, she wasn't expecting an ounce of truth from him, so she took what he said next with a grain of salt. His laughter did surprise her a little, though.

"Rin, you're far too suspicious. I haven't played a good prank on Klaus in decades. It might have been almost a century now. When I caught him making deals with witches, I knew it was an opportunity." She was losing her patience.

"Great story, but your fucking prerogative?" she hissed, rushing him.

"I just want to mess this up for him. Whether that means taking away your powers, or you, or some other vital plot point in Klaus' life story." Once again, she rolled her eyes.

"Then kill me now. What're you waiting for?" she asked. "And let go of my arm, you're going to squeeze it off." He released her and she crossed her arms, sighing. He grinned at her again.

"It's interesting that you seem to group me in with Klaus in terms of savageness. You're forgetting that he's the only psychotic one out of us originals. Did you know he's not even our full brother? He's a half-brother." Though this was interesting information, Klaus was officially a sworn enemy to her, and it didn't quite answer her question.

"So you're not killing me because you're tame. I find that hard to believe."

"I tend to shy away from murder unless it's absolutely necessary. You know, for the greater good. I've just got an eye for mischief, and after a thousand years I've had to step up my practical joke game." His icy eyes sent a chill down her spine. "Have you ever even spoken to me, Rin? Do you know me through any way that doesn't involve Klaus' paranoid opinions?" She cocked her head at him. He may be strange, but if he was being honest right now, she might have found herself a new ally.

"How do I know you're being honest?" she asked, genuinely curious. If he was lying, he was good at it – nothing was revealed in his body language or tone. In fact, if she looked carefully, the coldness in his eyes could even be mistaken for playfulness. Or was it the other way around?

"You don't. But something tells me that if Klaus hadn't made you question him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you'd trust me willingly. You're in the habit of suspicion." There was a note of pity in his voice, which irritated her, but he might have been right. Either way, she wasn't giving him the satisfaction of actually _being_ right. Especially not after the massive betrayal he'd just told her about, which was still extremely difficult to deny.

"Sorry, I'm still going to need insurance for blood loss, my dignity, and every pair of shoes I own." Kol nodded slowly, pondering for several moments.

"Give me a minute, I'll think of something." Rin waited. "Alright, I've got it. You can use my bathroom. It's much nicer than Klaus'." She couldn't decide if she should laugh or walk away now – was he treating this as a joke? Or was he serious about that? He must have noticed the confused look on her face. "Really. I have the tower room. My suite is much better than his in general – it's part of the original structure." Now, she laughed, both incredulously and genuinely entertained.

"Kol, no. No, no, no. If you're not going to take this seriously, I can't trust you," she said, straightening out her smile. What he'd said about Klaus making her paranoid was starting to sound more likely.

"Alright, fine. You can use the bathroom too, but I've got something else." He reached into the pocket of his pajamas and pulled out a key. "The key to the attic. Maybe you're interested in seeing what he has up there," he said, dangling it in front of her face. It was tempting, but was it enough?

"I don't know if that's enough to make me trust you. I'm sure Rebekah's got a key, too." Kol sighed. She was actually right about that.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm not looking to kill you, and I don't want Klaus to have the satisfaction of stealing your abilities. We're on the same side, really," he said, shrugging. At least he was admitting defeat. The fact that he wasn't relying on leverage actually pointed more to his innocence than anything. It was Klaus who was always using bait to get people to bend to his wishes.

She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Alright, fine. Allies. I'll take your word for it, but if you try to kill me and Klaus really is in love with me, I hope he fucking slaughters you. Got it?" Kol raised a brow at her, grinning a little.

"Allies? He's really had an effect on you, Rin. I prefer 'friends'. Here, take the key, and you can use the bathroom as well." With the key in her pocket, she took him up on his next offer as well – a handshake.

"Fine, friends," she repeated, meeting his eyes. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. "I'll head back upstairs, then," she said, hinting that he should let go of her hand now. He had it in a death grip.

"You know, if he ever leaves you alone, I'll gladly take you as my vampire princess," he said, flashing a toothy grin. She wrenched her hand away and looked at him curiously.

"No thanks, Kol, I'm good with the friends thing for now." _Besides, Klaus will probably never leave me the fuck alone,_ she thought bitterly. As she made her way down the hall, she heard Kol chuckle over her shoulder. Despite her insecurities about the situation, it was refreshing to know she now had a friend aside from Rebekah. He had a sense of humor and he was apparently on her side. But she knew that at the slightest hint of betrayal on his part, she'd have to abandon him immediately. Deciding to deal with that later, she got back into bed just as she heard Klaus make his way up the steps. Once again, he paused in front of her door. She must not have steadied her breathing fast enough, because this time, instead of continuing up the stairs, he opened the door. _Shit._


	32. Bargaining

**AN: Thanks, VampireJacinta and RealHuntress18! I can't reveal if Kol is trustworthy or not so I guess we'll just have to wait and see (:**

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**Part Thirty-two: Bargaining**

The night air was slowly cooling down as August turned into September. Though the cold was no real discomfort to him, Klaus dug his hands into his pockets out of habit. Considering all the goodwill he'd been succumbing to in secret recently, acting like a human was basically normal. He shuddered at the thought.

It was the seventh night in a row he'd left the estate to meet Maya. It was outside of town – a half-hour walk for a human that took him about three minutes. As usual, he waited in the forest clearing. They'd chosen an out-of-the-way area so as not to be seen by any Mystic Falls residents. Klaus had a strong suspicion that there was some kind of magical site nearby as well, since the witch had pushed so hard for him to meet her here.

After he'd already been waiting for ten minutes or so, she showed herself. Though she was relatively aged, Klaus guessed at least fifty, she walked with the stride of a young woman. He assumed it was knowing the power she had over him that made her so confident.

"I hope you're having a fine evening, Klaus," she said in a casual greeting.

"Let's skip the pleasantries, witch. Did you consider my offer?" Maya sighed and took a seat on her usual tree stump. Confident or not, she was still old and physically weak.

"I think I should really be asking if you considered mine."

For the last few days, they'd been at a stalemate. Klaus had asked to meet with the witch to change the spell – there had to be a way to do it that kept Rin alive. Though Maya was fairly certain that it was impossible to transfer Rin's abilities without the sacrifice, she said she would look into it. Then, Klaus had casually suggested that he may want to wait for the next telepath. But as soon as he'd so much as mentioned it, Maya lost her temper. She wanted the item Klaus had hidden away in his wall. After the spell was complete, Klaus had no use for it, and she was planning on snagging it then. But if he wanted to wait an indefinite amount of time for another telepath… Well, Maya did not have the blessings of immortality. And she wanted the item in this lifetime.

Her offer had been to simply complete the spell as it was, really. And Klaus realized now that he was not prepared to do that. Rin deserved to live, and as soon as this was sorted out he was going to leave her alone to do just that. Maya, however, was making it difficult.

"You vampires are all the same. Stubborn. I've done my research. There is no way to complete the spell without her blood. All of it. I tried, and we made an agreement. I'm not letting you walk away with it while I die."

"Hybrid, thank you. It was my deal to make, and it's my deal to revoke. You have no control over that," he said, glaring at her across the forest clearing. Maya sighed, rising to her feet again.

"I think I do, actually. Did you forget who gave you the item in question in the first place? It's mine to take back. You're interested in keeping this girl alive. But what use do I have for her? Hand it over, or I'll take her. And you'll lose your telepath _and_ her powers." It took a moment for what she was saying to sink in. Slowly, he paced over to her, eyeing her through the moonlight.

"Dear Maya, did you just _threaten_ me?" This was a new turn of events. Apparently she was just as interested in getting this over with her way as he was in getting it over with _his_ way.

"You have something I need – if I need to threaten you, I will."

He would not have his pride insulted like this. It was _his _deal – if he wanted to cancel it, he should be able to. Klaus had lunged at her, forgetting that it was futile. Before he could wrap his hands around her bony neck, a stab of pain struck his temple. Halting immediately, he staggered a bit. Slowly, he felt the skin there stretch until it split. His hand flew to his head as he let out a grunt of pain, and he found his fingers damp.

"You know what I need, Klaus. Do not think that because you've tricked nature into making you what you are, you can go back on your word now. Follow through, or the girl dies."

With that, she'd walked away, leaving his head split open. Ten minutes passed before she dropped the spell, leaving him to heal alone in the woods. He was horrified at his defeat. But the witch was untouchable – she'd been waiting on him for over a year now, and obviously she had some great use for what he had. But if he surrendered it now… there was no way to guarantee he'd ever be able to retrieve it. If he refused, she'd kill Rin.

Was it so important to keep her alive? Once again, he found himself questioning it, hoping to come to a different conclusion. But after these last few weeks, he'd decided that he could wait. He was immortal. He could let one opportunity pass him by without losing a great deal. That is, if he could keep what he needed to complete the spell when the next opportunity arose.

The truth was, Klaus couldn't imagine life with the guilt he'd have about killing her. He'd be incredibly powerful, but he would feel sorry for it, and that was too much of a price to pay. The reason for his potential guilt, however, he didn't stop to question. He had a strong suspicion that the answer would cause more trouble than it was worth.

When he arrived back at the estate, it was obvious something was amiss. Though he'd noticed that Rin's scent was in strange places for the last few days, this time, he picked up on Kol's as well. He'd been around the house, and so had she. Aside from that, her heart was racing behind the door to his bedroom, and she wasn't breathing at a resting rate, either. Forgetting to take the care to knock, he opened the door.

"You're awake," he said. In the shadows, backlit by the tiny amount of moonlight allowed in through the stairwell window behind him, he looked menacing.

"So?" She sat up in bed, irritated. He was so paranoid.

"Why?"

"What do you mean _why_? I can't sleep, Klaus. You're the one sneaking around outside." _Meeting witches, planning to steal my one cool power,_ she added in her head.

"_I _am the most powerful being in the world." Several more steps toward her, and he stopped abruptly. "Oh god. You smell like Kol," he said solemnly, walking into the room. There was more light in the bedroom – the window was much larger, and the curtains were slightly askew. It became clear that there was some dark substance on his head, right above his left temple. Though the wound had healed, he'd been bleeding pretty badly, from what Rin could discern in the half-light. _Good. He deserved it, whatever it was._

"That's because I found him in the kitchen earlier. He has some great cologne, right?" she said, knowing better than to give away that he'd told her all about Klaus' horrible plan for her right away. That would seem a little too heartbroken.

"You _left_?" His shock thrilled her – now he knew that she'd been pretending to being asleep these last few days, confirming his suspicions. _Betrayal is a bitch, isn't it?_

"I wanted gingersnaps. We shared them," she said nonchalantly, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Klaus was quickly losing his patience. No, he was losing his mind. Rin was insufferable, the way she constantly sidetracked his efforts to keep her safe. Wasn't it enough that he was trying to keep her alive and wriggle his way out of this backwards deal he'd made? He was trying to take it all back. Or, at least, as much of it as he could. If there was a way to complete the spell without killing her, he'd be willing to consider it, and even then she'd live. Wasn't that enough for her?

It was difficult to ignore the look on his face. Rin only had to glance at him to see that he was completely beat – her defiance was seriously upsetting him. But what did she care? He was the one plotting her death, stealing her powers, or both. There was no way she could look past that. Still, she had a hard time disregarding the look of utter defeat on his face.

"What do you want with me?" he asked quietly, staring her down. She forced herself to look at him.

"The real question, Klaus, is what the _hell_ do you want with _me_? You've been hiding in the attic for almost a week, and you still haven't told me what your goddamn plan is for me. Something tells me Kol is not my enemy here," she said, watching his expression fall a little further. There was no way he could tell her the plan. As far as he was concerned, she could never, ever know. Right now, he could hear her heart rate spike as she accused him of being her enemy. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she knew already.

Kol. Kol had told her. No. His blood boiled.

"What did he tell you?" he growled, narrowing his eyes at her. When she didn't reply, he seized her by her arms and shouted. "Rin! What did he tell you?!"

It was more of a challenge than she'd expected to keep her calm here. In fact, there was no way she could. Though she said nothing, her emotions were an open book on her face – brow slightly furrowed, she pursed her lips and willed herself not to give him the satisfaction of understanding how deep his betrayal ran. But she had to forget all the sarcastic banter, the way he'd let her feed off him, how electric his energy was, and all the confusing connections they'd shared that night at the Giorango. And the way he'd looked at her as she straddled him in the closet – it was all fake. She wasn't expecting him to care about her romantically, really, but she was sure they'd at least become somewhat close. Maybe even friends, in a twisted, slightly sexual sort of way.

Despite her desperate attempts, a single tear slid down her face. _Do not fucking cry_, she told herself, dismayed. She managed to stop the next one, but one tear was enough to damage her pride.

It took Klaus a minute to understand that she was actually crying. So she did know, and it hurt her. Apparently quite a bit, because the Rin he knew would never let herself cry in front of him.

He threw her back onto the bed, unsure of what to make of this. She knew everything. Rin had an incessant habit of simply _knowing_ exactly what he wanted to keep from her. At the moment, he couldn't help but consider it a quality he both admired and detested. It was impossible to lie to her. She had probably even sought out Kol herself to get the truth out of him. Maybe that was the only reason why she was staying with him in the first place – it was pretty clear that she wasn't afraid of Kol at all.

Without thinking, he slowly made his way back to the stairwell door. It was time to disappear even more from her life, because the shame of putting her in so much danger was more than he was willing to put up with right now. But before he could turn the knob, Rin spoke.

"So you won't even deny it." Her voice was surprisingly even, considering she'd been a little choked up. The pause in their conversation felt like an eternity to both of them.

"I'm trying to fix it," he said slowly before gently shutting the door behind him. Rin knew he could still hear her – he was standing on the landing, as usual.

"I hate you," she said, her words dripping in every ounce of rage his actions had brought forth in her. _And you can't fix this,_ she added as she buried herself the blankets once again. Kol was obviously no threat to her, so she could probably leave in the morning. So this was how her last night here would be spent. This was what she'd expected – she'd figure out what he'd been planning and then leave. But somehow, she hadn't pictured it to be quite so… cold.


	33. Theatrics

**Part Thirty-three: Theatrics**

The next morning, Rin woke up feeling strangely refreshed. Sleeping on her anger had helped – now, she was ready to leave all this behind. She couldn't pack fast enough, and was stuffing the last of her clothes into the duffel bag when Klaus came thundering in through the door.

"_What_ do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his knuckles white as he gripped the doorknob. Her back was to him, and she didn't turn around.

"Packing. There's no reason for me to stay here – Kol isn't going to hurt me," she said, struggling with the zipper. Somehow, she didn't think she could deal with seeing his face right now. She could picture him behind her, anyway – struggling to retain his composure before he spoke.

"If you want to walk into the arms of bloodthirsty witches who want revenge on me, by all means, Rin, go ahead. I suppose that's your decision." It was the same sarcastic voice he often used, but loaded with an edge – some new coldness that she wasn't sure she'd heard from him before. Rin froze. He'd pissed off the witches and now they were coming for _her_? Really? It never ended.

She shoved the bag onto the floor and turned around, meeting his eyes. She was right – seeing him only made her more angry.

"Well, you've got yourself a prisoner. Give me a heads-up before you surrender me to them so I can at least send Damon a text," she said, making sure to sound sickeningly sweet. Klaus flashed a tiny, cold smile before exiting out the opposite door into the main landing of the upper level. She watched him go down the stairs before putting her things back where they were – might as well get comfortable now that she really was stuck here.

When she was done, she stomped down the stairs into the living room and found Kol there, already watching television. Klaus was in the kitchen, drinking something suspiciously red out of a wine glass, and she made it a point to ignore him completely.

"Kol! The only guy I can trust in this house. I think I'll join you," she said, taking a seat next to him on the couch. She even went as far as to curl her legs up under her and lean on him. Catching on quickly, he chuckled and put an arm around her. In the flatscreen's reflection, she caught the look on Klaus' face – he looked like he was about to shatter the glass in his hand. _Ha._

"It's really not my problem if you want to curl up to a metrosexual, inferior version of me," he said from the kitchen, trying to sound nonchalant. It wasn't quite working.

"I told you he was in love with you, Rin," replied Kol loudly, still smirking.

"Well unfortunately for him I'm not interested in people who sell my soul to witches in exchange for my powers," she said acidly. In the flatscreen, she saw Klaus disappear from the room. Probably back to the attic. She contemplated all the other things she could do to get to Klaus while she was here. As long as she was stuck, she might as well make his life a living hell, right? She already had permission to use Kol's bathroom, so maybe she could just…

"Kol?" she asked, hoping Klaus was listening, wherever he was.

"Yes, Rin?" he said, pulling his arm from her shoulders. She silently thanked God that they were on the same page – now that Klaus was gone, the show could end.

"Is there a guest room or something I could stay in from now on? I don't like being in his room," she said demurely, looking down. Kol didn't know her well enough to understand that she was putting on the damsel-in-distress act again. He paused for a moment, turning his attention back to the television, then back to her.

"Remember how I told you my suite was part of the original structure?" Rin grinned up at him, trying to look more appreciative and less triumphant.

That night, she once again put everything into the duffel bag and dragged it over to Kol's suite across the house. Though Klaus' room was made to look like it was part of a tower from the outside of the manor, Kol had the true tower room. There was a massive wooden door, much like the one that led to the attic above Klaus' room, and a high ceiling that tapered to a point. The room was circular and Rin could see two levels above the main one that were suspended in the air much like balconies. She wondered why Klaus hadn't picked this room. Though a little dusty and medieval-looking, there was something regal and mysterious about it. Either way, she wasn't complaining. It was beautiful, and now she was allowed to share it.

The stairs wrapped around the side of the room, curving along the wall. Careful not to trip up the narrow steps, she followed Kol up to the top tier of the room where there was a sitting area and a view of the back yard, which was much larger than Rin had initially realized when she was sneaking around the side of the house with Klaus. For a moment, she was distracted by the night view before Kol spoke.

"You can have the top tier. There's a little library past that door on the second tier, and my bedroom is on the first." She didn't need him to explain the bedroom part – everything was at least somewhat visible from her vantage point near the railing. Kol's four-poster bed was directly under where hers was on the third tier. Surrounded by silk curtains, hers was somewhat separated from the rest of the room, but not quite sectioned off on its own. The whole place looked like Kol had put a great deal of time and effort into decorating it, including the guest quarters – completely unlike Klaus' hotel-like bedroom. "Oh, and the bathroom is on the first floor," he added. "Recently renovated. There's a Jacuzzi," he added with a foxy grin. Rin raised a brow at him and playfully smacked him in the arm.

"Thanks, Kol. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Klaus will be furious," he said with another mischievous smile.

"Of course he will. It'll be hilarious." She tried to stay playful, but a hint of disdain crept into her voice. Whether to keep the atmosphere light or for some other reason, Kol ignored it.

"That it will. So, when do you sleep, roommate?"

"I actually don't. Not much, anyway," she answered. There was no time to elaborate, since Klaus had entered the tower on the first tier. He looked misleadingly calm.

"I see you've kidnapped my telepath already," he said, looking up at them with his characteristic, faux smile. From where she was standing, he almost looked small. It would have delighted her to see him so far beneath her, but somehow it felt wrong – Klaus had always been the powerful one.

"On the contrary, brother, she wanted to stay elsewhere. I suppose your room holds memories she doesn't want to revisit," said Kol dramatically, shrugging at Klaus. Rin stepped in front of him, not one to let someone fight her battles for her.

"Since we're no longer on good terms, I figured I'd move in with a friend," she said innocently, mirroring Kol's shrug. The look Klaus gave her showed a combination of disbelief, honest doubt, and perhaps a hint of pain. He let a long pause go by before replying.

"I think you forget, Rin, that I'm the one bargaining for your life right now."

"After putting it in jeopardy. Thanks for that."

"I'm trying to fix it!" His shout caught her slightly off-guard, echoing up through the tower. It was a sudden display of unwarranted emotion that she didn't quite know what to do with. With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the massive, wooden door behind him. Though Rin only took a moment to gather herself, Kol noticed that she was a little stunned.

"Ignore his theatrics," he said, with sympathy. "Hopefully he'll sort it out with the witches and then leave you alone." Kol knew that was a lie. Klaus would have a very hard time sorting it out with the witches – he'd have to choose between having even more power or Rin. And not even Kol could predict what Klaus would choose. Maybe he wasn't as in love with her as he'd thought. Perhaps it was a passing crush.

And if it wasn't, he'd never leave her alone. He'd probably watch out for her for the rest of her life. The thought made him shudder – no one took perseverance and dedication like Klaus did. He never knew when to step off.


	34. Realization

**AN: AH! Finally, an update. This one took a couple of days because I really don't think I'm much good at writing these types of scenes and it's confusing and difficult but here it is. Gah. Thank you, VampireJactina and RealHuntress18 for your faithful reviews. I hope this chapter isn't too outrageous or anything. Ajskl;fjsk;alf**

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**Part Thirty-four: Realization**

For the next few days, Rin found herself actually wishing Klaus would go back to holing himself up in his room. They saw each other more often now, but every time he passed by her or her and Kol he'd give her a death glare. She also noted the increasing odds of him having some kind of alcoholic beverage in his hand. Though it made her feel guilty, she reminded herself not to budge on her new hatred for him – he had been trying to _kill_ her. That was unforgivable.

Eventually, seeing him started causing her stress. Every time he gave her a loaded look or took a sip of whatever he was drinking while making deliberate eye contact, she felt threatened. Aside from that, not having his energy and instead drawing from Damon remotely (with his permission, of course) or Kol (on occasion) was messing with her mind a little. She'd gotten very used to feeding off Klaus every day.

To avoid him, she started spending more and more time in the library attached to Kol's suite. Though it wasn't officially part of Kol's quarters, it was relatively removed from the rest of the house. As far as she could tell, Rebekah preferred the main library downstairs, and Klaus didn't seem to spend much time in either one. All his favorite books, apparently, were in his bedroom.

Klaus, meanwhile, didn't have time to enjoy the extra energy. He was still meeting with Maya, and they were coming to no conclusions. He was sure any day now Maya would break into the manor and slaughter Rin in front of him. Despite the stress eating away at him, drinking away his sorrows still felt like the best course of action. It had been several centuries since he'd fallen into the habit of drinking, and it was impossible to deny that although it didn't fix any problems, it made him feel significantly better.

Still, drunk or sober, he found himself wracking his brain for solutions more frequently than he would have preferred. This whole witch deal had grown from an idea into a weed the size of a redwood, and it was killing him that not only might he be insulted by Maya, losing his magical item, but he might have to deal with having Rin die because of his actions as well. Unfortunately, Klaus was not in the habit of figuring out how to save people, and it was excruciating to have to dedicate his intellect to figuring out the well-being of another person. Despite this, he pressed on, trying not to stop and question his reasons.

The alcohol also helped to cool the wounds Rin inflicted on him on a daily basis. It was impossible to really hold her accountable, since he had been plotting to kill her and had put her in so much danger it wasn't safe for her to even go outside anymore, but he couldn't deny that seeing her with Kol, knowing she slept in Kol's room, and smelling her perfume all over the house was eating away at him. There was no way he could even say anything about it – he'd been entirely in the wrong. He deserved it. At first, it made him incomprehensibly angry. Then, it turned into an expected beating his ego would have to take every day. Hence, the drinking.

He'd contemplated several things – hiring someone to kill Maya (though he didn't know anyone capable of getting close to a witch of her caliber, and no one owed him any favors anyway), sending Rin to Europe (she wouldn't be safe there, either), and pretending he lost the magical item in question (Maya would be furious and kill Rin anyway) among the list of absurd solutions he'd come up with over the course of the last few days. It seemed like there was no way out, until one night, close to three AM, another idea struck him.

At light speed, he switched off his Radiohead playlist and tossed his headphones on the bed. On his way out the door, he even managed to forget his wine glass on his bedside table. Maya couldn't kill Rin if he killed her himself.

He crept into Kol's suite through the entrance on the third tier of the tower to avoid his brother as much as possible. He'd have to do this carefully – Rin would definitely react badly, and he had to delay that reaction as much as possible, if not avoid it completely. He crept in, silent, and was glad to find that her back was to him already – she was sitting on the opposite edge of the guest bed, with the silk curtains tied to the bed posters. He could hear the tap of her fingers on her phone. _Probably texting Damon,_ he thought, a flash of annoyance crossing him. He pushed it out of his mind. There was a mission at hand.

Rin would have screamed had Klaus not used his hand to cover her nose and mouth. Her phone clamored to the floor and he cursed himself for overlooking this particular noise hazard, but Kol's breathing downstairs remained steady. _Good._

"Rin, it's just me." Wrong thing to say. As soon as she heard his voice, her eyes widened and she struggled even more to take a breath, trying to pull his hand away from her face. "For fuck's sake, stop struggling. Stop. I'm not going to hurt you," he said, a characteristic hint of annoyance in his voice. He realized it had been longer than forty-five seconds and he should let go now – Rin's grip on his wrist was getting weak. "Do _not_ make a sound," he said as he slowly released her. She took a heaving breath before standing up to face him.

"What the hell do you want?" she whispered furiously. The smart thing to do would have been to wake Kol, but she was genuinely curious. She hadn't had a conversation with Klaus since she'd started the "Make Klaus Miserable" project, and she was hoping for some hint of how much damage she'd caused.

Klaus put a hand up to her and looked away – the gesture was supposed to give him a moment to collect himself, but to Rin it was a dead giveaway. She rolled her eyes. "You're drunk. You're drunk and you snuck into my bed. You know what this looks like, right?" she said cattily, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one side.

"I guarantee you I don't intend to cause you any more harm, love." He paused, clearing his throat. "I've got an idea to get you out of this." Rin stared at him expectantly, but he couldn't quite say it just yet. "You should sit."

"No."

"Really, you're going to want to sit down," he said somberly. Tentatively, she took a seat on the bed, crossing her legs and spreading her nightgown across her lap. Klaus noticed the guarded look on her face and sighed, frustrated. Actually telling her his plan was proving to be much more difficult than he'd expected.

"Alright, turn around."

"What the fuck, Klaus?"

"Just turn around!" She didn't move, eyeing him suspiciously.

"_Why_ do you want me to turn around? I don't want you feeding on me."

"I'm not going to feed on you!" His tone came out somewhere in between anger and what Rin could only assume was astonishment that she would think he'd do that. Eventually, she relented, slowly turning around and sitting on the edge of the bed like she had when Klaus snuck up on her. When he slowly pushed her hair to one shoulder, she couldn't help but stiffen slightly at his touch. Without a word, he pressed his fingers into her tense shoulders, forcing her to relax.

"What are you doing?" she asked. It was a confusing feeling. As he massaged her, her muscles relaxed, but her heart was racing wildly with what she could only assume was fear. She remembered that night he'd gotten so drunk he'd kissed her, and hoped he didn't have anything similar in mind right now. It was difficult to place her level of comfort here – her body and mind were conflicted.

"You seem to think I'm only capable of causing you harm," he mumbled, half to himself.

"You were going to _kill_ me. That's more harm than anyone else has ever caused me," she replied, immediately annoyed at the degree of sadness that crept into of voice.

"Well I have a plan now, love," he said. He had to tell her, somehow. No matter how adverse her reaction might be at first. She waited for him to continue. "I mean I'll tell you in a bit. First calm down."

"I'm as calm as I'm ever going to be with your hands around my neck." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and listening to her beating heart. Slowly, he lowered his lips to the place on her right side where the blood visibly pulsed against her skin. When she felt his breath she stiffened even more, gripping the duvet beneath her, but instead of the prick of his fangs, she only felt his lips. He held his kiss to her neck for a moment before drifting up to her ear.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he insisted, hoping he'd proved himself. As a vampire, was there any better way to show a human that he meant peace? She didn't say anything, but he listened as her heart rate spiked and then slowed, eventually somewhat steady.

"Just tell me your plan," she said, sighing. Her voice came out a little too breathy for her taste, but Klaus' fingers were definitely working their magic. Pleased, he continued.

"I want you to think about this before you react, Rin. I know how it'll sound," he started. Rin frowned. This was already sounding bad, and she mentally prepared herself to shut him down as soon as he told her what he had in mind. He took a moment to rehearse how he would put this in his mind as he continued working the tension out of her shoulders, moving lower onto her back. "I think I've made a mess of things, but there's a way to pay this all back to you. You could be even more powerful than you are now. You could be—"

"A vampire." Rin had interrupted as soon as she caught on – it was pretty obvious what he was trying to do here. He thought that if he made her stronger, the witches wouldn't pose a threat anymore. "You want to kill me so they won't be able to kill me. Wow."

"Well, with two of us—"

"No." The idea was completely ridiculous. Sure, the thought had crossed her mind – being nearly indestructible, strong, and fast – it had its perks. But there were too many downsides. She'd have to feed on people, and that seemed messy and unpleasant. Feeding on her friends? Strangers? What if she killed someone? That was the first thing she'd learned how to avoid doing when she began training because it was important not to cause unnecessary harm. Being a vampire would make it that much harder to avoid.

"If you'd just give it some thought…"

"No, I'm not going to write off what makes me human to avoid the mess you got me into. There has to be another way to fix this bullshit, and you're going to find it." The item Maya wanted was the obvious solution, but there was no way Klaus could give it to her. It was too steep of a price. "And you should do it when you're sober so I don't get more stupid offers like this."

Klaus squeezed his eyes shut, annoyed at her how quickly she'd shut down the idea. She wouldn't even consider it.

"You don't really have a choice," he said flatly. Rin whimpered slightly as he pressed his knuckles into a particularly tight knot in her back.

"That hurts," she said, glaring at the floor. If she moved now that he'd started it would only hurt more.

"I can turn you whenever I want," he said, his lips fluttering against her ear once more.

"I don't think you will," she replied through gritted teeth. He hadn't relented in the pressure on her back and though it was beginning to loosen up, it still felt like hell.

"Haven't you already underestimated what I would do?" he challenged, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her backwards towards him. His thumbs pressed into her lower back – through her nightgown, she could feel the heat of his hands and chest against her.

"That's—" she stopped her protest to involuntarily let out a low groan and immediately cursed herself. Sure enough, he chuckled behind her.

"Wonderful, I'm sure." In some irrational crevice of her mind, she realized she was enjoying this. Rin was beginning to wonder if perhaps he had put her under some kind of compulsion and she hadn't caught it, because she was starting to want him to slide his fingers under her nightgown and relieve her of her growing lust.

But her mind had to disagree with her body. This was Klaus, the incredibly dangerous and unreliable original hybrid who had plotted to kill her, and now wanted to turn her into a vampire to correct his crimes. He was also at least a little drunk, and would probably regret this next time he was sober. However, it was impossible to deny that there was something suggestive about the whole situation. Here they were, in a grand, four-poster bed surrounded in silk, late at night, while he gave her the best massage of her life.

Klaus hadn't missed how her breathing quickened. Somewhere in his mind, he knew he was being overly physical, but she was sober, and she hadn't yet discouraged him. "Why haven't you asked me to stop yet?" As soon as she did, he would listen. There was a long pause before her reply, and for a moment Klaus thought she hadn't heard him.

"Don't ask me that," she mumbled, her eyes slowly drifting shut. The truth was that it felt too good – she couldn't bring herself to stop him now. It was only a massage, anyway. She might as well get as much out of him as she could. It could be revenge, right?

No, he was doing this voluntarily. This was Rin, letting him, because it felt incredible, and she'd been tossing and turning for almost a week now.

"I want to know," he said, his hands slowly working back up to her neck. He realized their conversation had drifted quite a bit but he didn't mind right now – she was letting him stay here, close to her, closer than Kol got, and that was enough for him. But his curiosity was getting the best of him – he had to know why she was accepting this.

"Well, I don't want to tell you," she said quietly, her eyes still closed. Klaus decided this was a good time to drop it. He'd be drunk probably for the next two weeks and he had all that time to harass it out of her without feeling guilty. For a while, the only sounds were Rin's quiet whimpers when he hit a particularly troublesome spot. Every time she failed to hold herself back he was thrilled. After a while, she finally spoke again as she came to her senses.

"Stop." Immediately, he pulled his hands away and sighed, leaning back on them. She was bound to push him away eventually. She took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair, finally opening her eyes.

"Shall I go?" asked Klaus, testing the waters. There was another long pause before she spoke again.

"I don't know why I ever trusted you." It almost sounded like she was talking to herself, or the wall. For some reason, this felt like one of the more honest things she'd said to him. Maybe because it was free of her usual snarky tone, or because of the way she'd said it so absently. Without turning around, she pulled her legs onto the bed and fell to her side, curling up. She hoped this was indication enough that he should go – she couldn't bring herself to tell him to actually leave. Everything in her mind was confusing and conflicting, and it was impossible to make sense of it, let alone trust what came out of her mouth.

"Same here, love," said Klaus, frowning slightly. He needed more booze. "I'm a horrible person. Really." She let out a dry laugh.

"Believe me, I know." She turned over slightly, one arm falling across her stomach. Suddenly, she was tired. It was the first time in a while she could safely say so. It was almost painful for Klaus to see here there, sprawled across the guest bed with her hair fanned out over the pillow. Her black nightgown was almost translucent and she looked like a queen, surrounded in silk. He almost missed the look on her face – her eyes were half-open and she was frowning a little, looking away from him. "I'm tired, Klaus," she said quietly.

"Then sleep," he said, still sitting on the bed with one leg bent and propped up.

"Not with you here," she said, staring up at him. She was asking him to leave, but there was something conflicting on her face, though he couldn't quite place what it was. Slowly and cautiously, just as he did that night at the Giorango, he leaned over her, brushing her hair away from her face. She still didn't turn away. It was shocking to him – how close she allowed him to get, even after everything. Some part of her had to trust him. Her only reaction when he pressed his lips to hers was a light hand on his arm. He pulled away quicker than he'd planned to. Surprised, his eyes searched hers for some sign that this was all a joke – that she was only playing him to get back at him – but there was nothing. She only looked at him a little sadly, obviously tired.

"Do you resent me for this?" he asked, hovering over her. She closed her eyes for a moment.

"I resent you for a lot of things," she said simply, exhausted and confused.

"But this?" he questioned, kissing her once more. It occurred to her that it caused her pain when he kissed her. It made her turn over stones she didn't want to turn over. He'd tried to kill her, but here he was. It was too confusing, and it hurt her brain.

But did she resent him for it? It was difficult to tell. Everything was difficult to tell right now. How he felt about her, considering all the things he'd had planned, his presence here, her lust for him, how upside-down her life had suddenly become – it was all conflicting and muddled. Her fingers flew to his wrist when she felt his hand on the side of her face.

"Don't," she said, closing her eyes to block it all out. "Just… don't. Please," she said, looking up at him again. Klaus saw a deep ache in her eyes and backed off, kicking himself once more. He stood at the edge of the bed, once again trying to make sense of all the mistakes he'd made. It felt hopeless. She'd never trust him again. But what did it matter? She was just a human girl. He shouldn't care.

But he did, and he realized it then, as she pushed him away. It was suddenly obvious, and he immediately hated himself for falling into this mess. Because he'd already destroyed any potential chance of Rin growing to care, too. Her life was in danger because of him – she could very well be dead any day now. And here he was, the original hybrid… in _love_ with her.

A human.

He disappeared from Kol's suite, returning to the familiar safety of Radiohead and alcohol. Maybe this problem could be solved with one of the better bottles of wine from the cellar.

Two stories beneath Rin, Kol was struggling to resist laughing to himself. It seemed Klaus had finally realized what was going on here, and that he was stuck. This was perhaps the greatest prank of all, and all he'd had to do was threaten his brother a little. It was playing out wonderfully. Now, he just had to decide how it would end.


	35. Payment or Incentive

**AN: Once again, my thanks go out to VampireJacinta and RealHuntress18! Sorry about the slowness; I've been a bit busy!**

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**Part Thirty-five: Payment or Incentive**

The next morning, Rin sat in bed for a while trying to make sense of last night's events. Klaus had snuck into her room to try to convince her to become a vampire, massaged her, kissed her a few times (and she'd let him), and had abruptly left. The real question was not really what he was doing there, but more along the lines of why she'd let him do what he'd wanted to. It was as if no matter how much she wanted to turn him away and shun him permanently, she couldn't say no to his advances. She'd never had a problem saying no to anyone before, so this was highly unusual. What he wanted was made pretty clear last night – he wanted her to become a vampire to automatically correct the mistakes he'd made. She was, of course, ignoring the fact that he'd kissed her a few times and had looked at her in ways that made her question just how evil he really was.

But what did _she_ want? She'd wanted more than she'd ever expected to want from him last night. Maybe it was because he'd caught her off-guard, or the fact that he was really exceptionally talented with his fingers and it had caused her mind to wander. She'd let him kiss her, but when she felt his warm hand on her face, she'd had to push him away. For whatever reason, that felt like too much. It felt too… intimate. So she had drawn a line – as soon as she'd felt an emotional connection that made her nervous, she'd pushed him away.

And if she'd felt the need to break that connection, it meant that it was there. So she'd felt something for him. The thought of it made her want to gag a little. Was it Stockholm syndrome? Or something else? Had she ever felt like that before? Her mind wandered to that night at the Giorango and the day after – that was the last time she'd felt drawn to him, and close to him. And he'd disappeared that time. He'd pushed _her_ away. And last night, she'd returned the favor. They were pretty dysfunctional, when she thought about it.

But wasn't that a good thing? Did she actually want to feel closer to him? Could that ever be even remotely okay? There was no way to overlook the fact that he'd literally plotted her death. Could _he_ ever turn around from that? Or was she always in danger, as long as he was around to bargain with her life? She had to admit to herself, reluctantly, that he _was_ trying to fix it. It didn't make up for what he'd done in any way, but he was trying to make it better. She thought of the days she'd spent here – how, for a while, they'd almost been friends. How he'd held her to his chest as she pleaded for her to let him feed off her. Back then, her closeness with him didn't scare her. It was only after she'd found out his plan from Kol that she became nervous and angry with him.

"'Morning, Princess," said Kol, coming up the stairs. "I hear Klaus paid you a visit last night. Literally, I heard him. You must believe me now," he said, smiling smugly at her. She'd slept extremely well last night, having received an incredible massage, but her thoughts were a train wreck. Kol could see that she'd been wracking her brain for answers, and it amused him. She didn't want to believe how Klaus felt about her.

"Believe you? What?" Kol's smile was unfaltering.

"That he's completely obsessed with you."

"Kol, please don't. I'm not in the mood right now," she said somberly, getting out of bed. Kol crossed his arms.

"I'm not kidding, actually. He even asked your permission to turn you. And when you said no he _actually didn't_. That's rather shocking, in the world of Klaus."

"So he was showing some decency. I'd rather just consider that a blessing and not read into it. He's still on my bad side." She swept past Kol into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Thinking about Klaus was giving her a headache.

Kol, meanwhile, was still not sure what to do. Still waiting on the third tier of his tower, he shot off a message to Rebekah. "Can you get in?" Moments later, she sent back a "Yes. Keep him busy." Kol made for the reading room downstairs, where Klaus was busy doing some research in their father's old books.

"Hello there, dear brother," said Kol, sitting across Klaus on one of the chaises. "What're you doing?"

"None of your business, Kol," spat Klaus, taking another sip from his wine glass without looking up.

"What's in the glass? Is that spiked with blood?" said Kol, raising a brow. "Did you make more?" Klaus glared at the man he still considered to be his kid brother.

"Don't you have something to do? Keeping Rin entertained, perhaps?"

"I wouldn't want to steal your girlfriend. That's a bit of a low blow for a brother, is it not?" said Kol cheerfully, still smiling. Klaus stared at him, taking another sip.

"Funny, I'd say you already have. Now why don't you go make sure she eats something this morning before I tear out your intestines and feed them to you?" said Klaus, a curt smile appearing on his face.

"She's actually in the shower right now. Maybe you ought to join her? Mend things a bit, you know?" replied Kol. Klaus' threats didn't get to him anymore – it'd been almost a thousand years and he had not yet followed through on a single threat. Whether or not Klaus admitted it, he held some kind of value for familial bonds.

Klaus only sighed, knowing that the best way to get his sibling to shut up was to ignore him. Kol, however, did not cease.

"Have you told her how you felt about her yet? She was sitting in bed trying to figure it out earlier this morning. Poor thing is horribly confused." That struck a nerve. Klaus looked up once more, resisting the overwhelming urge to throttle Kol.

"It doesn't matter 'how I feel' if she's _dead_. Am I right?" he asked, shooting him a death glare.

"So you won't deny it. That's excellent! You've come to terms with it all, then. But perhaps she'll be more likely to accept your offer from last night if you tell her you want her to be your vampire queen, yeah?" Klaus slammed his book on the table in front of him.

"Of _course_ you were eavesdropping. Is there a reason why both you and Rebekah are incapable of staying out of my business, dear brother? Do I have to dagger you both to live my life in peace? Or is there any slim chance that perhaps one day you'll leave me alone? Because if there is, please, let me know now." Kol was delighted. He had a way of getting his brother riled up, and it never got old.

"Well, there's definitely a reason. We want to make sure you get the very _best_, Klaus. Exactly what you need." As if on cue, his phone alerted him of a message. It was Rebekah. "Alright, everything's taken care of." Kol stood and marched into the kitchen. Klaus, unsuspecting, continued pouring over his reading, searching feverishly for some kind of alternate spell.

Rin came downstairs smelling conspicuously of her kiwi shampoo and body wash, something Klaus noticed right away but ignored. She walked into the reading room, which was near the base of the stairs.

"Don't visit me at night again," she said, crossing her arms over her shoulders. Her wet hair was once again causing her oversized black t-shirt to cling to her in some places.

"Did you think about my offer?" said Klaus, taking a sip from his glass once again as his eyes briefly dropped to her small frame.

"To become a vampire? No."

"You know, if you were a vampire you wouldn't have to worry about eating breakfast. I noticed you're putting that off," he said pointedly.

"No, I would, I'd just have to eat my friends instead of toast. And I'm not putting it off." She turned around and went into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of apple juice and leaning on the counter. She had a horrible headache, and needed to feed, badly.

"It's not so different, is it?" Klaus had crept up on her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"It's completely different."

"Is it? You're feeding on life. I feed on life. It's the same." He gathered her hair in his hands and placed it on one shoulder again, running his fingers along the pulse in her neck. "You don't need to kill anyone, Rin."

"I didn't say you could touch me," said Rin, her gaze trained on the counter in front of her.

Klaus pricked his finger with his own fang, reaching around her. Without a word, he whipped her around and pushed her against the counter. Heart suddenly racing, Rin cursed herself as her mind instantly wandered. The aggression excited her, and she wished there was a way to stop seeing him as someone even remotely desirable.

He took advantage of her quiet gasp, which left her lips slightly parted, and slipped his finger inside her mouth, leaving a drop of his blood on her tongue. Confused and a little shocked, she looked up at him, silently demanding to know what this was. The taste of iron was a sudden giveaway and she shuddered as it slid down her throat. Why was he feeding her his own blood? Was this some twisted way to convince her to feed on blood full-time? She shoved him backward and he relented, taking a step back.

"So I guess you do bleed red like the rest of us," she spat. "Congratulations." He only smirked. He'd have to find sneakier ways to slip his blood into her diet on a regular basis. She wasn't safe, not even here, and if Maya was going to send someone for her… at least she'd come back. As long as she died with his blood in her body, she was at less of a risk.

She was still glaring at him. "Well? What the hell was that?" He shrugged.

"I guess I'm a twisted creature," he said sarcastically, offering no further explanation. "You need energy." Rin didn't have to be told twice. She transformed almost instantly and before long, she was running high on his life force. She'd learned to regulate herself, so he was still on his feet, and it felt incredible to have even a modest amount of his energy running through her veins. While she was finishing up, a new idea struck him. He bit the edge of his tongue and closed the space between them, tangling a hand in her hair as he kissed her. The contact caught Rin completely off-guard, and in her altered state of mind it felt even more electric. Her knees buckled and she groaned slightly, her hands catching the counter for balance. She almost missed the tinge of iron on her tongue. She pulled away, turning her head to the side.

"What the _fuck,_" she said, looking back up at him. "That's disgusting!" She winced, trying to swallow the taste away.

"Oh, I don't know, I think it's sort of intimate," said Klaus, laughing at her slightly.

"You're. Disgusting." She paused as she noticed his hands were on hers, holding her against the counter. "Can you move? I need people food." Once again, she shuddered. Klaus was only getting weirder, and it was bordering on seriously unnerving. She hated the way she'd buckled against him, knowing that this relationship had just reached a new level of twisted. She'd just drank hybrid blood. She tried to push the thought out of her mind – it was too nauseating to even attempt to wrap her mind around.

"Should I move? I don't know. Make me." He only leaned in closer to her, smiling wickedly. Despite everything, she couldn't help but return his grin. His deviousness was contagious. Raising a brow at him, she put on her best doe eyes.

"Please, Niklaus, I'm so hungry," she said woefully, batting her eyes at him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew this didn't make sense, that there should be no playful banter with him now that she knew what he was up to _and_ considering what he'd just done was considerably fucked up, but it felt too natural. A part of her was thankful that they were somewhat back to how things were before.

"I don't know, love, I'm not quite convinced." She sighed and rolled her eyes, still fighting back a grin. Slowly, she rose to her toes, barely brushing her lips against his. She felt him smile into her kiss and he relented, pulling her hands from his and stepping away. In moments, he had a frying pan on the stove and the beginning of an omelet sizzling.

"Are you…" Rin took a step toward the stove, raising a brow. "Are you making me breakfast?" she asked incredulously. "Wow, so this is what one tiny kiss wins me." Klaus smiled to himself.

"Quite the opposite," he said.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"By kissing me, you've given me the right to make you breakfast." Once again, Rin thanked God that she was able to effectively fight back a blush.

"I see. I guess that's a new way to look at it," she said, sitting on the counter.

"That's the only way to look at it," said Klaus, turning to face her. "I don't accept kisses as payment _or_ incentive," he said, pointing the spatula in her direction. She smiled, looking at the tiles on the floor. Interrupting, Kol burst into the kitchen.

"Uh, guys, lovebirds, we have an issue," he said, slightly frantic. "There is a witch in the yard." Klaus didn't bat an eye.

"Well, we've been expecting her," he said evenly, flipping the omelet. Rin frowned, wondering why he wasn't reacting more strongly.

"They're coming for me," she said, trying to believe it herself. This could actually be her last day.


	36. The Gold Cup

**AN: Much love to RealHuntress18 and VampireJacinta! More crazy things going down here. Oh boy. Get ready.**

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**Part Thirty-six: The Gold Cup**

The ring of a bell echoed throughout the manor. Somehow, Rin had thought that Maya would let herself in, and as she sat miserably on the counter while Kol got the door, she fought back the urge to believe that maybe it was someone else. Could Kol have been mistaken? Did Kol even know what Maya looked like?

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a familiar voice come from the foyer.

"I need to talk to Rin." Klaus heard it as well and quickly finished up the omelet before turning off the stove. Rin bounced to her feet and rushed into the foyer with Klaus at her heels.

"Bonnie?! Kol, it's _Bonnie_. Oh my god…" Bonnie flashed a short smile at Rin and pulled her into a hug, which she awkwardly returned. "What are you doing here? Kol, did you seriously not know Bonnie?" Kol only shrugged and sighed.

"How am I supposed to know who she works for?" he argued. The sound of someone clearing their throat floated in through the doorway.

"Oh right, I brought—" Bonnie was interrupted.

"Damon. Good to see you again, Kol," he said, smiling in his usual, cold way. Rin couldn't help herself – her heart sank. Suddenly, picturing Klaus and Damon in the same room seemed like something out of a nightmare. But she plastered on a smile. "Uh… I can't exactly…" He gestured to the doorway and Rin realized he needed to be invited in since a human lived in the manor now.

"Do _not_ invite him in. The longer I can keep him out of my house the better," said Klaus from behind her. She was right – Klaus and Damon definitely wouldn't mix well.

"We can't really leave him on the porch," she said under her breath, wanting to contain the situation. This was no time for petty arguments.

"Yeah, Klaus, you can't leave me out here on the porch," parroted Damon with a grin.

"Klaus, don't be a baby," added Bonnie, rolling her eyes. Rin sighed and turned to Damon.

"Come in, Damon," she said, feeling strange inviting him into someone else's house. According to nature, she supposed, it was her house now. But that just felt wrong to think. Damon grinned and stepped through the doorway and Klaus shot him a glare before they made their way into the kitchen.

"So what brings you two to the Mikaelson Estate?" asked Klaus as they gathered around the table.

"Damon told me about the mess you got Rin involved in and we think it's better if she moves out and stays with the Salvatores now." It took a moment for Klaus to understand what he'd just been told, and he turned to Rin.

"Do you need to tell him _everything_?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Please. You know I don't tell him _everything_," she said pointedly. Damon either didn't notice what her remark implied or chose not to respond to it. There were more important things at hand. _If I told him everything, he wouldn't be standing here,_ she added in her mind. Klaus took the hint and let it go, as well.

"She's not going to live with the Salvatores," he said evenly.

"Yes, she is, because you obviously suck at watching out for her," replied Damon. Rin had finally spilled all the information she'd gathered last night via text message, and although she figured he'd be worried, she wasn't expecting him to come crusading for her safety. It was flattering, but she wasn't sure if living with the Salvatores would be any safer than living here, with Klaus.

"And you'd do any better?" challenged the hybrid, his relentless glare fixated on Damon.

"I wouldn't be bargaining with her life, that's for sure."

"I'm looking for a way out of the situation."

"There would _be_ no situation if you'd stayed out of her life."

"I can reason with Maya."

"So can I," added Bonnie. She may be one of the younger witches from a different bloodline than Maya, but she was still a witch, and that had to count for something.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure no one can reason with Maya, but we have a better shot with the girls at my place than with Rin trapped here at Castle Klaus," said Damon.

"I'm not _trapped,_" said Rin. The three of them were arguing as if she wasn't in the room, and it was irritating her. "In case you guys didn't notice, I'm still here, and I can make my own decisions." She paused, eyeing all three of them. "Bonnie, what can you do to reason with Maya?"

"Before we go into that, I think Klaus might know what she wants," she said pointedly, turning to the hybrid. "Witches are usually chasing some _magical item_ or other." Bonnie already knew what Maya was after – when Damon had told her the details, she'd done some research. And she was fairly certain that Klaus already had what she wanted. He wouldn't have made the deal in the first place without having at least some of the things required to complete it. Now, she would give him a chance to surrender whatever it was and put Rin out of danger.

Klaus sighed, glaring daggers at Bonnie.

"I'm not going to give that up," he said. "I spent years chasing the thing down and I'm not going to give it up now," he said, avoiding Rin's eyes. Her jaw dropped and she stared at him incredulously, shocked.

"Are you kidding me? What the hell is your problem, Klaus? You're going to be alive longer than any of us," started Rin.

"Not me," mumbled Damon under his breath, thrilled at Klaus' selfishness. Even if he did have a thing for Rin, it apparently wasn't enough to change him.

"Just take it back when she's dead!" finished the telepath, horrified. She'd thought he might eventually come around and give away whatever it was he was protecting with her life, but apparently that was out of the question. Once again, she had to stomach his betrayal. "God, what the fuck did I expect?" She paused, running a hand through her hair. "What is it, anyway?"

The rhythmic click of Rebekah's heels echoed throughout the kitchen as she joined the group, slowly making her way to the table. It was impossible to miss the smug grin on her face – she obviously knew something.

"The Judas Chalice," she started. Klaus' eyes widened.

"Rebekah, what—" He was interrupted immediately.

"It's a giant gold cup and Maya initially lent it to Klaus, so it isn't rightfully his, actually, and now he doesn't want to give it back because he's afraid he won't be able to get his hands on it again, and he's going to wait for the next telepath to come along and slaughter whoever _that_ is instead of Rin. Congratulations, Rin, he's in love with you." Rebekah was obviously quite proud of herself for uncovering this information. "Little does he know, however, it's no longer in his possession." She flashed a sugary smile at her younger brother, who was struggling more than ever to resist the urge to physically harm her. He made it a point never to go to unarmed combat with her, but this was seriously testing his limits.

"Where is it?" he demanded through clenched teeth.

"Calm down, Nik, it's safe. But it's mine now, and I'm going to give it back to Maya and end this madness so you can learn to surrender something you want for something you need." Rin drew in a slow breath.

"Look, can everyone please stop acting like we're a thing? Thanks, Rebekah, for taking care of this, but seriously. It isn't like that." Klaus winced a little. Not only did he have to deal with his sister interfering in his affairs _again_, but Rin had just stated to a group of people that she didn't care about him. It was more than he'd wanted to deal with today. He plastered a smile onto his face and turned to her.

"Rin, love, why don't you go have your breakfast while I sort this out with my meddlesome sister?" She didn't even look at him.

"Why don't you go polish your chalice? Oh wait, that's right, you don't have one." She exchanged a quick smile with Rebekah across the table.

Bonnie still wasn't convinced. They hadn't been able to trust Rebekah on very many occasions in the past, and it seemed like there was a high potential she might screw this up. What if Klaus found the chalice? What if Rebekah had a change of heart?

"Bonnie, Damon, before you start doubting me – This isn't about you. I have no reason to betray Rin, and I'd prefer if she stayed here and alive." She sighed, giving them both her most earnest look. "You can trust me on this one."

Still, they exchanged a dubious look, but it was hard to argue with that. Rebekah didn't have any reason to mess this up.

"I'd consider Rebekah and I friends, come to think of it," added Rin, going over their relationship to herself. Although Rebekah had a weird tendency to root on her non-relationship with Klaus, she had been a good friend. They'd shared some good times over lunch, usually laughing at her brothers.

Bonnie nodded slowly, taking this in. A few moments passed as she thought about it and then she spoke.

"Alright. Rin can stay here, as long as Rebekah has the chalice and Maya gets it as soon as possible."

"What?!" Damon exaggeratedly rolled his eyes. "You're kidding me. God, I can't _stand_ witches."

"I mean I already switched rooms; it would be a pain in the ass to move completely. Maya will find me no matter where I am, right?" asked Rin, ignoring Damon's protests. As soon as the words left her mouth, she had to question herself. Why did she want to stay here? She had the option to actually stay with Damon. Klaus crossed her mind and she pushed the thoughts out of her mind. This was something to be pondered later.

"Yeah, she will," said Bonnie, who apparently did not notice Rin's desire to stay at the Mikaelson Estate. Damon sighed and grabbed Rin's wrist, pulling her to the foyer. Klaus wondered idly if he was actually planning to drag Rin away, but took solace in the fact that he could listen to their conversation from where he was.

"Rin, what the hell. You've been miserable here. Just leave. Come with me." Rin sighed, looking at the floor. This was exactly the uncomfortable situation she'd wanted to avoid.

"What's the point? I'm screwed no matter where I go until Rebekah gets Maya that stupid cup. I might as well stay." Damon tilted her head up to look at him, frowning.

"Why do you want to stay here? You can _leave_. I'm not sure if you're understanding this. You can actually _leave_." Rin could see that Damon was more than shocked – he was obviously expecting her to come back with him. She sighed again and looked up at him.

"Look, I'm tired. I don't want to deal with moving around right now. I just want this bullshit over with so I can live my life again," she said. It wasn't a lie, but it didn't really answer her question. However, Damon seemed to accept it.

"Alright, fine. Do whatever, but as soon as it's taken care of I want to talk to you." He took her hands in his, looking her in the eye.

"About what?" asked Rin, her heart racing. This was bad. As much as she hated to admit it, Klaus was now in the picture. So whatever Damon wanted to talk about… if it involved a relationship, there was no way right now. She couldn't be with anyone. Her options were Klaus, a psychotic murderer, and Damon, who was basically in love with someone else no matter what he tried to tell her. It would take longer than a couple of weeks for him to move on from that.

"Don't worry about that right now," he said, pulling her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss, his lips lingering on hers for a moment longer than she would have liked. Though the kiss was a bit much, Rin craved the safety of his familiar embrace and immediately put her arms around him, burying her face in his chest for a while. Like this, she could see Damon how she wanted to – as a close friend who she could rely on. When she took a step back, she jumped. Out of the corner of her eye, Klaus was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Are you two leaving, then?" he asked, still angry with Rebekah and Rin, and now angry at Damon as well. This was really not his day.

"You're more of a jerk than I remember," said Damon, giving Klaus a once-over as Bonnie joined him in the foyer. The two of them said their goodbyes and Damon planted another short kiss on Rin's lips before leaving. As soon as the door was shut behind them, Klaus stormed back into the kitchen, but Rebekah was gone. He stood there for a while, wracking his mind for possible locations of the chalice, and was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice when Rin walked into the room to heat up the omelet he'd left on the frying pan. Reminded of the trouble she'd caused him, he glared at her until she turned around.

"What?" she asked casually as she waited for the microwave to finish its countdown. "Mad because Rebekah stole your cup?"

"I can't _believe_ you just kissed him again. Again! In my house!" Rin couldn't believe him. He was a brat, plain and simple. Was he seriously angry that Damon had kissed her?

"Excuse me? You have no right. Damon is a very close friend of mine. You, on the other hand, are more concerned about the loss of a gold cup _than my life_."

"I'm trying to salvage as much of this as I can!"

"Yeah, you're trying to have it all. You don't want to give up a single thing for me. I should have just left with Damon. What the _fuck_ am I doing here, Klaus? When are you going to realize that if it wasn't for your sister, I would die because of YOU?!" It was the first time she'd really raised her voice at him. "You're selfish. No, you're self-obsessed. No one in the world matters to you. It's a goddamn miracle you decided not to kill me yourself, you asshole!" She took the plate out of the microwave and flipped it over, letting the omelet fall to the floor. "In case it isn't clear, I fucking hate you." With that, she swept past him and went back up the stairs, skipping breakfast entirely to go back to bed. If Rebekah could keep the chalice hidden, she might not be living out her last few days, so now was as fine a time as any to sleep her anger away for the rest of the day.

Klaus stood in the kitchen, seething with rage. He didn't know what he was more angry at – himself, for making Rin so upset, Rin, for getting so upset, Damon, for acting couple-y with Rin in his foyer, or Rebekah and Kol, for singlehandedly destroying his plans. It was a nightmare.

"Well, you handled that poorly," said Kol, sullen. He was leaning on the door frame of the kitchen, staring at the floor. The meltdown had been painful to listen to.

Without thinking, Klaus whipped around and delivered a swift punch to Kol's face.


	37. Blood

**AN: AH! Finally! An update! Sorry about the delay! Not only have I started up a couple of other projects, but this chapter was painstakingly difficult to write (I'm not sure why, really), and then my internet conked out. Actually, it's still out, and I'm waiting for it to come back. So if you're reading this, then it is back xD**

**Thank you for your patience, everyone! Updates may be slightly slower now that I'm busy with other writing and some family business. So sorry about that!**

**Part Thirty-seven: Blood**

Kol reeled slightly from the contact and fixed a grim stare on his brother.

"Really?" Klaus had broken his nose, definitely. He could feel the slow seep of blood dripping onto his lip. "I'm going to be the better man here and leave it at that, alright?" Klaus rushed over to his brother and grabbed him by the collar, pushing him roughly against the wall.

"Do whatever you like. I know you're a coward. But _do not_ mess with my plans again, you mewling, pathetic excuse for a vampire." He slammed him once against the wall and stormed into the cellar, leaving Kol waiting patiently for his nose to heal. Klaus hadn't physically attacked him in almost a decade. _Damn, I was hoping to get to ten years,_ he thought, trying not to be annoyed with his brother. He was reacting strongly because he was confused. It wasn't entirely excusable, but he'd always been a bit of a brat, so having things go so horribly wrong was a bit of a shock to him.

Then there was Rin, who was obviously conflicted as well. She was hurt, and perhaps surprised at Klaus' insensitivity. Kol was still having a hard time figuring out how interested she was in his brother – she definitely considered them to have been close at some point, but since he'd told her about his plan… it was hard to say. He'd heard them flirting in the kitchen earlier today but just now, she'd been more angry with him than ever before.

That was why it made her blood boil even more when she heard Klaus storming up the stairs. _Please don't come in here._ His steps became louder and louder and she heard him go up another flight of stairs. _Seriously, don't._ By the time he aggressively let himself in, she was already glaring at the ceiling. _For God's sake._

"This is your fault!" he roared, his hands curled into fists. Rin only sighed, taking care not to look at him. Eye contact would only make this more painful than it needed to be. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rin only squeezed her eyes shut momentarily before slowly getting out of bed. Though she turned to face him, she kept her eyes trained on the space over the edge of the balcony, surveying her surroundings after crossing her arms across her chest.

"No, Klaus, what have I done?"

His slow steps would have put her on edge if she was hadn't been so angry with him already. After six, even thuds against the wood-paneled floor she could feel his breath on the back of her neck and the heat coming off his body, warming her back. It almost felt like his footsteps echoed in her mind. She waited for him to say something. To scream at her, maybe, or to perhaps throw her over the edge of the balcony to tumble to Kol's bedroom and end it all now. But nothing happened. It occurred to her that he was waiting for her to turn around and face him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing she was curious. After all, she found that she wasn't, really. There was nothing to be curious about. She didn't care what she'd done, or what he was upset about, or whether or not those were the same thing.

Then it hit her – that wasn't the sound of his steps, playing over and over again in her head. It was her heartbeat.

And when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest, she could feel his heart beating away, too, echoing hers.

"You made me question myself." There was a small, but unmistakable note of sadness beneath the rage in his voice. Rin turned her head slightly toward him.

"And do you resent me for that?" she asked in a shaking whisper, repeating his words from last night. Her anger was palpable – some pretty words weren't going to make her forgive him. She wasn't sure if she could ever forgive him. There was no answer for a while.

"You tell me," was all Klaus said before releasing her. He took a step back. The first thing to enter Rin's mind was, _how the hell am I supposed to know?_

But then… the answer dawned on her. Rebekah and Kol were always joking about it. In fact, they'd tried to tell her.

"You don't. You're in love with me," she said, still gazing over the edge of the balcony. She stated it like a fact – there was no other way she'd be able to get the words out of her mouth. "That's why you haven't killed me."

It finally felt safe to turn around. Klaus stood a few feet away, arms at his side. His expression shocked her. For the first time, Klaus actually looked like he was… in pain. So she really did eat at him, the way his siblings had said. It was a tense moment. In silence, they looked at each other, trying to make sense of themselves.

Klaus looked away first.

"I need a glass of wine," he said abruptly, running a hand through his hair. Rin rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Better get on it. You've been sober for like five whole minutes," she said. He turned to leave. "By the way, I'm glad Rebekah stole your stupid cup. I'm glad you have to pay for hurting me." Though he stopped to listen as she spoke, he didn't reply, and left when she was done.

Rin walked back over to the bed, feeling numb. He hadn't denied it. He was in love with her, despite everything. And for whatever reason, if she ignored all the terrible things he'd done for the moment, it was a little calming to know he felt that way. It meant that underneath it all, he really did care for her, and he acted horribly because that was who he was – at least, that's what he knew. Rin was beginning to doubt if he was really evil by nature. Maybe that's who he'd turned into.

In the cellar, Klaus was pacing between the racks of alcohol, restless. He was here to find another bottle, but it was impossible to focus on the task at hand. Rin had finally decided to believe Kol and Rebekah. She believed he was in love with her. It would have been preposterous, had it not been true. It was driving him insane. Did she feel the same way? Could she forgive him, knowing his plan was essentially ruined and that he loved her? Would she turn for him?

He couldn't help but wish for more than he knew she would offer. Of course she wouldn't turn into a vampire for him. She didn't care for him at all. That wasn't the way Rin operated. For her, it was easy to kiss him and flirt with him and be with him and feel nothing. But for him, it was slowly becoming more and more important. The fleeting moments between them when everything was calm and safe would be some of his most beloved memories, and he knew it.

Upstairs, he could hear Rebekah and Kol in the kitchen laughing about something. Probably him and his miserable situation. Kol had definitely healed up by now, and judging by the sound of dishes, they were either eating or pouring drinks.

Sighing, he sat on the floor, leaning against one of the racks. Suddenly, the same ache that struck him now and again was creeping back. The feeling that came along with knowing he had isolated himself, and that the damage was undeniably irreparable. His siblings would never accept him now, even if he chose to abandon his ways and be a true part of the family again. After all, wasn't he an abomination? A freak of nature? They were vampires, but he'd wanted more – he'd become a werewolf, too. Rin would never accept him either, considering the horrible things he'd done to her. The sting of loneliness was all the more sharp, knowing he'd brought it all upon himself.

"Do you think he'll find a way to make it up to her?" he heard Kol ask. Rebekah was silent for a moment, probably drinking or chewing.

"Maybe. Honestly, I hope so. Klaus needs a girlfriend."

"But she's still human. Got to admit, that is a pain in the ass. It's annoying enough having to resist that all day long. I'm not going to keep that up forever." Rebekah laughed, and Klaus felt a pang of annoyance. Human or not, Kol was _not_ allowed to feed on Rin.

"Maybe she'll turn eventually," replied Rebekah. "I don't know, but that would be nice. Having another girl around here. You two are insufferable most of the time, and Elijah is just as bad. I could use a sister." Klaus couldn't believe how casually they were discussing all this.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Rin frowned at the breeze coming in through the bay window. She hadn't remembered leaving the window open. When she stood up to shut it, there was a sound from the bathroom.

"Bekah, do you really think they're going to keep at it that long? Human girls get sick of us. And we get sick of them. I'm willing to bet Klaus will forget about her in less than fifty years. They just don't live long enough." Kol almost sounded regretful. Klaus wondered idly if he'd had his own human girlfriend at some point. Not that Rin was his girlfriend – far from it.

"You know me, Kol, ever the romantic. Who knows? I don't think he'll forget about her. I think she'll come around. Maybe if he sacrifices something eventually. I can't believe I had to steal the chalice just to keep her alive, though. Bit disheartening." Klaus banged his head once against the rack, making the glass bottles shake precariously. Rebekah was right. If he'd sacrificed something, if he'd just given Maya the cup himself, then he'd have a chance with Rin. But he couldn't do that.

"Maybe he doesn't care for her as much as we thought," said Kol.

"No, he does. If he didn't, he'd have completed the spell some time ago. She's already become powerful enough. And did you hear them earlier today? 'You've given me the right to make you breakfast!' I thought I was hearing things." They both laughed a little and Klaus glared furiously at the ceiling. Were they ever _not_ eavesdropping? If they'd both been listening to him in the morning, then what he was doing now was perfectly justified.

"Alright, fair enough. That's—" Kol stopped abruptly. "Do you smell that?"

"Yes, it's… Whose blood is that?"

"Got to be Rin," said Kol, standing. "Shit, Klaus. Has he fed on her again? Where is he?"

"You saw him last; I've no idea."

"Rebekah, that's a lot of blood." The smell was beginning to get through the ventilation system and sure enough, Klaus could smell it all the way in the cellar. Within moments, Klaus was on his way upstairs. Without another word, Rebekah and Klaus were, too.

Despite his greater distance, Klaus was the first one in Kol's tower. Rebekah and Kol came in through the third tier door after him to find their brother standing in the empty room, crazed.

"She's not here," he said, struggling to contain his concern.

"She might be in a different room," suggested Rebekah, but she was dubious. No one had heard her move.

"The smell's coming from…" Kol trailed off, his glancing slightly toward the first floor. Horrified, he realized what had happened. He walked slowly toward the balcony, hoping with every step that what he suspected was not true.

Both Klaus and Rebekah watched him as he made his way across the floor and gingerly peered over the edge. Instantly, he winced and looked back at them, looking grim. Klaus rushed to the balcony, heart racing. It couldn't be.

His eyes widened. Two stories down, on the first floor, was Rin, her unmistakable black hair fanned out behind her. There was a large gash across her neck, leaving her head at an awkward, twisted angle. Both her arms were at an unnatural angle as well, and seemed to be held behind her back. The blood was still pooling around her. It was the first time he'd seen her unconscious with black hair.

But the worst part was her eyes. They gazed right up at him, fixed in a dead, glassy stare. So this was where her killer had stood. Maya, or one of her people.

Frantically, Klaus looked away and stepped back from the edge of the balcony, counting the hours. He'd kissed her before Bonnie and Damon had come, and then they'd fought… Kol and Rebekah's conversation, the wine cellar… It had only been two and a half hours. Two and a half hours. His blood was still in her system.

He drew in a deep sigh of relief and turned around, facing his siblings with wide eyes.

"She's a vampire."

Before anyone could react, all three of them heard a deep, desperate gasp of air from below as Rin awoke.


	38. Control Freak

**AN: Alright, finally! Rin's a vampire! I'm so glad you guys liked the last part (: Thanks again to VampireJacinta and RealHuntress18. Let's see what happens now that she's woken up!**

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**Part Thirty-eight: Control Freak**

It was a loaded moment. Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah could only stare at each other while Rin took a second to gather herself and attempt to wrap her mind around the fact that she'd just been murdered, but she was still alive. Her body was stitching itself back together when Kol spoke.

"You idiot! She'll hate you forever now, surely," he said incredulously. They could hear the painful crack of her bones aligning. Klaus didn't even want to know – she'd probably died in horrible pain.

Slowly, her eyes came into focus, and she found herself staring at the balcony above her. Hadn't someone just been there? It was a man. He'd been ghostly pale, with hair so blonde it looked platinum. Bit by bit, her memories started returning: the window, the sound from the bathroom, her hands held behind her back while he ripped into her throat… Her killer was a vampire. And he'd mercilessly tossed her over the edge of the balcony without a word.

But now, she was alive. How? Maybe her injuries hadn't been as bad as they'd felt. Just thinking about the deafening crack of her arms and hips was making her feel sick. Or was that something else? It was hard to tell, but a deep nausea was forming in the pit of her stomach for whatever reason.

Her hearing was still bleary, but she could tell someone was there, beyond the balcony. Could it be the man who'd killed her? As the voices became more distinct, she realized it was Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah. So the pale man was probably gone. Terrified to move her body or to attempt to push sound out of her recently ripped-open throat, she waited for them to find her. This didn't make any sense. She felt better, but there was no way she could have recovered so quickly from those injuries.

After some inaudible, tense words were exchanged, Klaus rushed back to the balcony. She stared up at him, still frozen in fear.

"Rin." He barely breathed out her name as he kicked his legs over the edge of the balcony and landed gracefully a few feet away from her. Kneeling, he brushed her hair from her face and tried to push away his shock. This was supposed to be a backup plan. He was supposed to be able to protect her. How could a witch have gotten into the manor without anyone noticing? He'd let her down again, and he knew Kol was probably right. She'd never forgive him. "Do you know what's happened?" he asked, taking care to keep his voice quiet. New vampires always felt like their senses were too strong. It took some getting used to.

She tried to figure out if she was dreaming. It was supposed to be over. She'd been _murdered_.

"I'm supposed to be dead." If it weren't for his own hyper-sensitive hearing, he wouldn't have heard her.

"But you aren't, love." Now was the time for some kind of damage control. Gingerly, so as not to throw her off even more, he scooped her into his arms and held her to his chest, trying to calm her down. "It's alright. You're safe. Let the fear pass," he whispered into her hair. Upstairs, Kol and Rebekah were still staring at each other, grim. They knew what would happen, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Let's leave them," said Rebekah quietly, taking care to avoid irritating Rin as well. Kol nodded and the two of them disappeared. For once, neither of them thought it was a good idea to eavesdrop right now. It was a delicate, personal situation, and it suddenly felt wrong to try and be a part of it.

Rin couldn't figure out if she was drunk on the sound of his voice or woozy from the growing discomfort in her belly. When he spoke it helped to fight the overwhelming terror, but she couldn't tell why. It felt natural to be lulled to tranquility, almost like a baby, but in her mind it was wrong. Struggling, she grasped for threads of reason. Klaus had tried to kill her. Klaus had put her in horrible danger, and… that was why she'd been attacked. But she was alive. Did it matter? Really? No, of course it did. This was her _life_. It mattered quite a bit.

But that didn't change the fact that she felt at home, trying to find her mental footing as he sat there on the floor with her.

"How?" she asked, a little too loudly. Instantly, she squeezed her eyes shut. The word was bouncing off the walls of her skull. It seemed to shake her entire body with its vibration. After several moments, the feeling passed.

"Don't speak too loudly," reminded Klaus. She may not have known she was a vampire now, but she was already feeling the effects of vampirism. Hypersensitivity and fluctuating, inconsistent emotions weren't the worst of it. He knew the thirst would hit her like a ton of bricks soon, and he would have to convince her to feed. There was no way he could let her die again today. If she did, this time it would be for good. "Maya or one of her people must have snuck in. Someone killed you." She turned to look up at him. Confusion and fear were still painfully evident on her face.

"A vampire."

"A vampire?" He frowned. No, vampires didn't work for Maya. There was no way. But she nodded, shaking a little from the horrific memory.

"He bit me."

"That's not possible, love; Maya's a witch. She doesn't have vampire friends," he told her, frowning. She had to have been mistaken. Immediately, she was on her feet. Klaus' heart dropped a little. _Here we go,_ he thought, preparing himself for her inevitable mood swing.

"I know what I saw!" she screamed, and immediately staggered backward, eyes wide. Caught in the vertigo from her own voice, she collapsed onto the wall and clutched her head, willing the vibrations to end. It took much longer than last time. Klaus stood and crept over to her, light on his feet so she wouldn't feel his steps through the floor.

"We can talk about it later," he said, finding it slightly more difficult to stay calm and collected. He remembered now why he hated new vampires – they were like explosive, unstable, bloodthirsty children.

As if she'd read his mind, her lip began to quiver slightly. Within seconds, she was sobbing uncontrollably, curled up against the wall. He rolled his eyes and kneeled next to her, stroking her back. "There, there." He'd never seen her act like such a baby. "Why are you crying, Rin?" She whipped around, makeup streaming down her face.

"Do I need a reason to fucking cry in this house? Aren't I allowed to cry? You wouldn't understand, Klaus, but human beings have _hearts_. And _feelings._" Klaus opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it, instead looking away and nodding solemnly. This was going to be difficult.

"Of course you're allowed to cry. You can do whatever you want," he said, trying to appeal to her newfound childishness. She looked at him again, the tears flowing less quickly.

"Whatever I want?" she asked, wide-eyed. Klaus had to stop himself from cringing.

"Whatever you want. What do you want to do?" he asked, offering her as much of a smile as he could muster. He couldn't help but think she'd be horrified when she figured this all out. Instantly, her eyes narrowed.

"I want to know how I survived that fall, Klaus. How did I survive? Huh?" _Well, that was abrupt._

He sighed deeply, sitting in front of her.

"Rin, I want you to understand that this was not supposed to happen. This was a backup plan in case someone got to you without me, Kol, or Rebekah noticing. Which is exactly what happened." Shocked that she was still paying attention, he continued. "Do you remember when I made you drink my blood earlier today?" he asked, delving into dangerous territory.

But she only nodded slowly, eyes fixed on him. Her eyes had gotten more demanding, he noticed. It was another side effect. Compelling eyes to eventually use the power of compulsion. Black as ever, it felt like they were staring straight into his head. It was difficult to ignore how much that commanding gaze attracted him, but now was not the time to admire her beauty. He took another deep, cleansing breath, preparing himself for her reaction. "When a human dies with vampire blood in her system, she returns as a vampire."

Klaus was getting sick of tense moments, and this one felt like the tenth one today. Her unwavering blank expression was beginning to make him wonder if she'd even heard him. This _did_ warrant a reaction from the ickle baby vampire, right? The fact that she's no longer human? He blinked, questioning her silently. Suddenly, a tiny smile began playing on her lips. And before long, she was laughing. "I believe I missed the joke," he said. The sound of her laughter didn't bother her ears. That was a good sign. Several moments later, she finally gathered herself, meeting his eyes through a quivering grin.

"You're telling me that the only way to keep me alive was to turn me into a vampire," she said, seemingly no longer concerned about speaking in a whisper. "But that doesn't make sense because vampires are _dead!_" Once again, she burst into laughter. Klaus only blinked, watching her break down in hysterics. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but that wasn't nearly as funny as he'd thought it would be.

"Do you feel dead?" he asked, raising a brow. This was an argument that came up now and again – if one had to die to become a vampire, didn't that mean all vampires were dead? Some used the word 'undead' to refer to vampires, but that didn't seem right either. Klaus was pretty sure he was alive, and that sometimes dying didn't mean one was really dead. Just… something else.

Rin looked at him thoughtfully, and slowly her gaze drifted up to the ceiling. Klaus watched her as she put what was clearly a great deal of thought into his question.

"No, I don't feel dead," she said, her hand drifting to her heart. "I still have a pulse. I guess I'm alive." Klaus smiled at her, glad that she wasn't taking this as horribly as he'd assumed she would. However, the mood swings would last a while – she might wake up tomorrow hating him. Either way, it would all eventually pass.

"Then you must be living," he said, standing up. "But there's one thing, Rin…" Now came the next hard part. She cocked her head at him expectantly and slowly rose to her feet as well. Suddenly, she realized how much blood had stained her hair, skin and clothing and frowned at herself before turning back to Klaus. "You need to feed. Today. Otherwise you really will die." Her eyes widened.

"_What?_" Klaus nodded slowly, letting that sink in. Before he could register what had happened, he was thrown into the mahogany footboard of Kol's bed. The sound of a rib or two cracking made him wince. Evidently, she hadn't learned how to moderate her strength yet. Or maybe she had and she just wanted to hurt him that badly. Though she had to admit that blood sounded somewhat appealing right now, there was no way she was letting him get away with this bullshit. She stormed over to him, screaming. "You think you can just waltz into my life and turn me into a vampire? I'm not going to drink _human blood! _You're a goddamn control freak!" Slowly, he took a deep breath and straightened out, standing up as his ribs joined back together.

"I told you, I didn't want this to happen. It was a backup plan," he said, ignoring the rest of her jibes. Control freak? "But you need to, unless you really do want to die today." She was fuming, and with her hair and clothes covered in her own blood she looked like a raging asylum escapee. "Look, you don't need to drink from the vein right now. We have a great deal of blood stored here—"

"No! God, no!" she screamed. Klaus couldn't help but roll his eyes, knowing she was probably feeling the thirst already. Aside from that, she never lost her temper like this as a human, and he was losing his patience.

"You're going to, whether you like it or not. You can either live forever or die right now and I know for a fact that you do not want to die," he said quickly, grabbing her arm. "Now go clean up and then I can convince you more. When you're less… eruptive." She wrenched her arm away and shoved him backward, sending him once more into the wood of Kol's bed.

"I'll shower, but I'm not drinking anything," she hissed before making her way to the stairwell.

"Yes you are," muttered Klaus under his breath, glaring at her as she walked away. Not even Rin could change his belief that new vampires were absolutely intolerable.


	39. Reckless

**AN: Alright, here we are! Sorry again about the slightly slower updates. Busy summer! But Rin's finally a vampire! I'm trying to make her transition realistic but it's difficult ._.**

**Thank you again to VampireJacinta and RealHuntress18! If anyone else cares to help me out, please join them in the reviews!**

**Enjoy. (:**

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**Part Thirty-nine: Reckless**

Klaus leaned over two wine glasses in the kitchen, carefully mixing a quarter of a blood bag into his glass and adding just a few drops to Rin's. There was no way he was letting her end her own life today. He couldn't help but think that although this wasn't supposed to happen, it was an opportunity. She could potentially live as long as him now – maybe now he could start being honest with her and it could be a new start for them both. And then, they could figure out who had attempted to kill her.

She trotted down the stairs, wet hair tied into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, and made a beeline for the fridge, ignoring him completely. He watched as she rummaged through it, no doubt looking for some kind of meat. When she turned around, her eyes landed on the glasses.

"Oh, thank God," she said, scooping one up in her hand. She was about to drink from it when Klaus quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Don't," he said. She looked at him curiously, and it took a moment for her to figure out why he'd stopped her. Slowly, she put the glass back on the table, and it struck her that he'd actually shown a great deal of respect and honesty in that brief moment. Again, they stared at each other in silence.

"You warned me," she said, frowning at him. "Why?" Klaus took a deep breath, looking out the window. He could have just let her drink it. It would have been easy. In fact, he could even compel her now. But no, he had to do it differently this time. Playing games with her was only going to set them up for an eternity of misery. That is, if she made the right choice.

"This has to be…" He stopped, trying to figure out what he meant to say. "Your… decision," he finished, taking a sip of his own glass. "You can die today, or you can live forever. It's up to you." Rin raised an eyebrow at him.

"You could have just let me drink it," she said, still caught up on the fact that he'd stopped her. "You're actually giving me a _choice_ where my life is concerned?" she asked incredulously. The shock was hitting her over and over again. Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly, picking up on the fact that her emotions were still swinging like a pendulum. When tears sprang into her eyes, he actually wrinkled his nose a little.

"I'm beginning to think I should have," he mumbled, looking away as he leaned on the counter. He'd never been good with mood swings, especially those of the baby vampire variety. "Just make up your mind soon or you're going to start getting weak." With that, he scooped his own goblet off the counter and turned around, only to feel Rin's hand curling around his arm.

"Wait," she said quickly. He didn't turn around, not wanting to see her tears of joy for his kindness.

"What is it?" There was a pause as she swallowed, trying to gather herself.

"Am I really going to die?" she asked quietly. Klaus sighed, knowing he had to face her now. This was an opportunity to convince her to drink. Slowly, he took a sip and placed his glass back on the counter, and then turned around.

"Yes, Rin, you're really going to die. Tonight, maybe tomorrow." He winced once more at the still-wet tears that were just beginning to dry under her eyes and locked his hands behind her waist, drawing her close to him. "But you don't need to fear death ever again, if you drink now." Of course, that wasn't entirely true, but part of persuasion was leaving out the more… complicated bits.

It was exceedingly difficult for him not to look horrified as she burst into tears for the second time that day. There had been so many times in the past when she should have broken down into desperate sobs, but she hadn't. And now, here she was, crying like a baby twice in one day. The fact that it was so unusual for her might have been what got him the most – since she didn't cry often, it seemed like something was extremely, horrifically wrong when she did. What it boiled down to was the queasy feeling he got when she looked like she was in horrible pain, and he _really _didn't like it.

Instinctively, he tried to wipe some of the tears from her face, but the gesture only made her cry more.

"You're so good to me!" she cried, staring right at him. This was too much. Perhaps if he'd actually been good to her, he would have appreciated this bold declaration of his kindness. His eyes darkened and he put both his hands on the sides of her head, leaning down slightly to look at her at eye level.

"Rin. Don't," he said, hoping he wouldn't have to compel her. "I tried to _kill_ you. Get a hold of yourself. Remember who you are, and decide what you want." Tentatively, she nodded, her brow still quivering slightly. Klaus silently thanked God when her tears finally stopped and she met his eyes again.

"I don't want to die," she said evenly. For once, it felt like a moment of clarity. Maybe she was starting to figure out how to pull the reins on her runaway emotions.

Klaus smiled and stepped back, gesturing to the glasses.

"Well, there's your solution, love." She sighed.

"But I don't know if I want to live forever," she added. Rin had always considered death to be sort of a blessing. To live forever would mean she'd have to face every shitty thing that happened in this world for the rest of time, and that seemed like a horrible thing to have to do. Klaus let out a small laugh.

"Vampires don't live forever," he said. "They're just extremely difficult to kill." Her eyes drifted to the floor.

"So I can die eventually?" she asked, frowning. He was a little surprised. Why was she so concerned about being able to die? It seemed morbid.

"I'm not even going to ask why you wish to die eventually, but yes, you can." She sighed deeply and looked out the window behind him for a while. The sun was still relatively high in the sky. Patiently, he awaited her answer.

"Alright, let's have a drink," she said, finally surrendering. As long as she wasn't burdened to live for all of eternity, it would be alright. She still had the option to die. And since she wasn't interested in choosing that option today, it was either now or never. But when she lifted her hand to take the goblet, Klaus grabbed her wrist.

"Wait." She looked up at him questioningly. He faltered slightly – he was doing that "kindness" thing again. "Are you sure?" he asked. It was another thoughtful gesture, but he truly wanted to know how set she was on this. Immortality, or the closest thing, was a massive commitment. This time, however, his kindness got on her already antsy nerves. Aside from that, she found herself craving the taste of stiff iron.

"I'm sure, Klaus. Can we just get this over with?"

The true significance of the situation finally hit him. She was sacrificing her humanity, and she was doing it without much of a second thought. In fact, she wanted to just "get it over with." As far as he was concerned, she would be around forever now. And that meant…

What did that mean?

He looked down at her, lips slightly parted in contemplation. It was overly ambitious to think she would be his forever – this much he knew. But now there was a chance, and that made him wonder: if it was a possibility, would he do it? If she ever cared for him the way he cared about her, would he stay with her forever?

"Klaus?" Too long had passed, and he realized he must have looked a little distracted. Clearing his throat, he gathered up both glasses and made his way to the stairs.

"Rebekah. Kol," he said, knowing they would hear him wherever they were. "Bring drinks." Rin was a little confused.

"Why are you—?"

"Because this is important. And you should have a group, not just me," he interrupted, waiting for his siblings. He wanted this to be something festive that she wouldn't regret. And on top of that, if there were more people around, she wouldn't just blame him if she did regret her decision. Kol appeared first, the sound of the wooden door to the tower stairwell crashing through the foyer. In one hand was a personalized wine glass with his name frosted on the base, and in the other was a bottle. Rebekah emerged after him, trotting down the stairs with a glass of iced tea. When she saw the goblets in Klaus' hands, she froze.

"Is this… Is she…" She turned to Rin. "Are you going to…?" Trailing off, she looked back at Klaus, concerned. As much as she didn't want Rin to die, she knew better than anyone that vampirism could be a burden. Every day, she wished she'd had a choice in the matter, and she wished she could be normal. "Do you _want_ this?" she blurted. Rin sighed again and nodded slowly.

"I don't want to die today. I'm doing this for a shot at tomorrow." Though her voice was even, all three of them caught the quiver in her tone. Obviously, she was scared. Rebekah caught a death glare from Klaus and nodded, forcing a smile.

"Alright, then, let's make a moment of it!" she said, continuing down the stairs. Apparently, she had the same thing in mind as Klaus – the more the merrier. Kol was walking being the three of them, fighting back a smile. This was exactly what he and Rebekah had been discussing earlier, and now it was a reality. Klaus had a chance with her, at least. And aside from that, she was at least slightly safer from Maya and her people. Of course, that left the question rotting in the back of everyone's minds: who had killed her?

Either way, now was not the time to worry about that. Klaus led them back into the kitchen and the four of them sat at the table with Rin across from him. He slid her glass across to her and she wrapped her fingers around it, shocked at how cold it felt. Her senses were so sharp now that she thought she could feel the movement of the liquid in the glass as she lifted it up. Klaus cleared his throat, raising his own glass.

"To Rin," he said. Kol and Rebekah repeated after him.

"Uh, to me," finished Rin quietly. They tapped their glasses together and Rin drank her first drops of human blood. The wine tasted more or less normal, but there was a distinct metallic note in the aftertaste. Her first instinct was to gag and she slammed the glass onto the table, clapping her hand over her mouth. Kol laughed a little and she glared at him, forcing herself to swallow. A moment passed as her stomach settled and she thanked God that she hadn't vomited. Then she'd have to do this all over again.

And just like that, the craving heightened. She hadn't even really tasted the blood but something about having it in her system immediately drove her into a craze. Hoping no one would notice, she gulped down the rest of her wine and stared at Klaus across the table, who was still slowly sipping his with a raised brow. Suddenly, it occurred to her that they were all staring at her.

"She's going to be a reckless one," said Kol. Rebekah silently nodded, drinking her iced tea. She placed it on the table and stood, reaching for her purse, which she'd left on the counter. From it, she produced a compact mirror and opened it, presenting Rin with her own reflection.

Her lips were stained with red, and she'd grown paler. Much paler. From her eyes grew veins that were so strained and so close to the surface that they appeared black. And resting against the back of her top lip were two grotesque fangs that threatened to expose themselves if she were to open her mouth any further. Her mind flashed to when Klaus had first fed on her, on the floor in her bedroom. He'd looked the same way – pale, with those gory-looking veins growing from his eyes. Horrified, she pushed her chair away from the table and stood abruptly. She didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, love, it goes away. Eventually, you'll be able to control it," said Klaus, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice. To them, it was all very amusing. Having your face reveal your bloodlust was such a basic thing that none of them could wrap their minds around how it must seem to her. Was she scared of herself?

Klaus' glass caught her eye as he placed it back on the table. Immediately, all thoughts of her complexion disappeared, and she wondered if she could get away with grabbing his glass when he wasn't looking. No, this was wrong. She wasn't supposed to _like_ it. But God, this craving was a hundred times stronger than craving energy. Confused, she forgot to look away from the table and Kol laughed once more.

"All you have to do is ask," said Rebekah over her shoulder as she made her way to the fridge. When she tossed a blood bag over her shoulder, Rin was shocked that she'd caught it. Her reflexes had improved quite a bit.

She had to decide whether or not she should tear into the bag now or empty it out into the glass. It was a matter of cleanliness, and eventually her pride won out. She popped the cap off the bag with her teeth and squeezed half of it into the glass and drank, gulping it down like she'd been thirsting for it for years. Kol swirled his own wine and exchanged a look with his brother, who then went back to watching Rin destroy the bag with more table manners than he'd ever seen a new vampire bother with.

When she was done, she threw the bag on the table and stepped away, shocked at what she'd done. In fact, she could barely remember the last five minutes – it was like she'd been in a trance. This was not what she'd expected at all, and if she was going to pine after blood like a meth addict for the rest of her life, she would have to seriously reconsider whether or not it was worth living.

Ignoring the boys' curious stares, she stormed out of the kitchen and went up the stairs. She was in Kol's room long before she thought she would be and realized she'd used that same vampiric speed she'd seen Klaus use now and again. It would have been nice to discover another ability, but at the moment her confusion and worry were overwhelming. She would still crave energy, right? The desire to drain Klaus was still there, in the back of her mind like the final remnants of a migraine. Dealing with being hooked on two different things was going to be a huge pain in the ass.


	40. Day and Night

**AN: CHAPTER 40! HOW THE HELL DID THIS GET SO LONG WHOAHOAGHIEOQ. Thank you for everyone who's stuck it out with Rin and Klaus. I know they're infuriating and I'm glad people believe in them enough to keep reading. Also, I reread some of the early chapters and they're REALLY AWFUL so thank you for putting up with all the mediocre writing at the beginning. Even though the vast majority of you guys haven't said a single word to me, I love you for taking time out of your day to read my winding, overly dramatic fanfiction. Thank you so much!**

**Also this story's gonna be hella long because I'm really not too close to the end at ALL. So. Um. Sit tight. Please.**

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**Part Forty: Day and Night**

Klaus wasn't sure if he should leave her alone now or go see what was bothering her. The way she'd stormed out of the room suggested that she'd wanted to be left alone, but there was no way she wasn't dying of blood lust right now. And maybe he could distract her from that or something…

No, it was best to leave her be. She was unstable right now, and if she wanted space, she'd get it. He made a mental note to leave her alone more often and finished off his own glass in the kitchen. Rebekah swirled her iced tea, leaning against the counter.

"I don't remember that time in my life at all," she said, thinking aloud. "I mean, I do, but it feels so insignificant now. Such a small thing." Kol nodded, contemplative, and Klaus poured himself more wine, this time leaving the glass blood-free.

The three of them sat in silence for a moment, each sipping their respective drinks, when a shriek echoed through the stairwell. Instinctively, Klaus jumped to his feet, and regretted it instantly when Kol laughed at him.

"So protective," he said, smirking. "Instead of you pushing yourself on her constantly, _I'll_ go see what it is," he said. In a flash, he was gone, leaving Klaus both confused and thankful. Kol was right – if he kept swooping in to play the hero, Rin would get sick of it. But he didn't like the idea of Kol playing the hero either.

Upstairs, Kol found Rin sitting on the floor staring at a patch of sunlight in front of her, horrified.

"What the hell is this?!" she demanded when she heard him walk in. Kol put his hand to his forehead in disbelief.

"I can't believe we forgot about that. Vampires can't go in direct sunlight."

"Klaus does it all the time! You do it all the time!" She was tempted to reach out to stick her finger into the rays again, just to see if it was really dangerous, but the memory of the singe she'd felt on the entire front half of her body was enough to keep her from it.

"Right, you need a daylight ring." He raised his voice so his siblings would listen. "Does anyone have a daylight ring?!" he called, waiting for an answer.

"I might have my old one; let me check," answered Rebekah. Both of them heard her come up the stairs, as well as some other movement. In seconds, Klaus was there, standing in the stairwell doorway.

"She doesn't need an old one, she needs a new one," he called over his shoulder. Rebekah smiled to herself as she stopped hunting through the boxes in the back of her closet. She'd forgotten all about the extra rings he'd had made for himself, in case something were to happen to his. And they were all fitted with precious gems. Klaus never did anything halfway. Curious as to which one he'd present to Rin, she joined everyone in Kol's tower.

Sure enough, he was helping her to her feet just as she walked in.

"Daylight ring?" questioned Rin, struggling to maintain her cool. Her emotions were still all over the place, but she was getting sick of being so explosive. It felt alien and unflattering, so she fought to keep the horror of not being able to walk in the sunlight out of her face.

"A ring that lets you walk in the sun," he said. "It's really just a charm with a hex on it that can be affixed to any piece of jewelry, but there's something classic about the ring…" he said, reaching into his pocket. Rin frowned, cocking her head to the side.

"And you have an extra…?" Was he just going to give her one?

"I have many extras. But I thought this one might suit you," he said, producing a black box from his pocket. He opened it for her. Inside was a silver band, which swirled around a deep green emerald, framing it in metal. There was a distinct subtlety to the piece, which only enhanced its elegance.

Instantly, Rin was overcome with several things, among them gratitude, surprise, and uncertainty. Would this really work? Was he just going to give it to her? A ring? Klaus noticed the suspicion on her face and laughed a little.

"Ah, so she doesn't like it," he said, snapping the box shut. Her eyes shot up to his, wide.

"No, I… I love it. I just don't get it; you're going to give it to me? For free?" He'd never given her anything before, and in her sensitive emotional state it was even more shocking. Once again, he smirked.

"For God's sake. You're not going to be able to go outside unless you take it. Yes, for free." This time when he opened the box, he took the ring out and tossed its velvet case onto the bed. Rin winced a little when he took her hand.

"What are you-? Are you-?" He resisted laughing to himself again as he slid the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand. He curled her fingers up in his and looked at her for a moment, trying to catch her eye, but she was fixated on his hands wrapped around hers. After spacing out for a bit, she finally looked up at him. "I don't know how to react to this," she said evenly, fighting back a torrid blush. "Um, thank you. Really." Both of them barely heard Rebekah and Kol stalk out of the room. It felt like they were going out of their way more often than not these days, trying to give Rin and Klaus privacy neither of them asked for. Though he'd never admit it, Klaus was thankful. Rin was still confused.

He shook his head in the direction of the window.

"Try it," he said. "See if it works." Still slightly suspicious, she took a step backward and turned around, the beam of light waiting in front of her like a warm bath. Tentatively, she reached forward and brushed her fingers against its boundary. To her slight surprise, nothing happened. Slowly, she pushed her arm into the sun and eventually stepped all the way into it, standing in front of the window. A sense of relief overcame her and she whirled around, smiling a little.

"I guess that's one thing I won't be sacrificing," she said, glad that Klaus had fixed this. Not being able to feel direct sunlight would make her miserable much quicker. "Why do you have so many extra rings, anyway?" Klaus shrugged, still smiling. The light on her hair exposed its hidden brown and red hues.

"I had them made in case anything should happen to mine. I'm the oldest living being. Got to have backups," he said, taking a step toward her. "If you'd like to choose one for yourself, I can show you the others." Rin shook her head slightly.

"That's alright; this one is…" She looked at the ring again, admiring its beauty. "Is that a _real_ emerald?" Her questioning amused him slightly.

"Of course it's a real emerald. Why would I use fake gems?"

"Oh, I forgot, you're richer than the one percent and the Queen of England combined," she said, glaring at him. "Showoff." Ignoring her jibes, he put his hand on the side of her face and pulled her closer to him.

"What's mine is yours," he mumbled before kissing her lightly. He could feel the heat of the sun on his hand as the rest of his body remained in the cool shade of the house, and he couldn't help but think it was symbolic of her nature – fiery beneath the surface, which he was only just recently able to understand, and colder, almost icy, to the average onlooker. Once again unable to help herself, she melted into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Without warning, the rhythmic thump of his heartbeat became all the more obvious to her. Or was that her own? It was impossible to tell, but she recognized the bloodlust crashing back. No, that didn't make sense. He was a hybrid. Why should she want _his_ blood? For a few moments, she was able to fight it, but the temptation was too strong. No, this was a whole new level of messed up. Horrified, she pulled away and stumbled back into the window, gaping at him.

"What?" he asked, frowning. It had to be her roller coaster emotions again. There was no way he'd done anything wrong that time, he decided.

"I don't know, I'm thirsty," she said quickly, glancing at the door. Maybe she could go rummage through the fridge for another blood bag now. But Klaus only smirked, stepping into the sunlight himself. This was unexpected, especially considering she'd only recently been turned.

"For what?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"What do you think?!" she spat, trying to avoid his eyes. She had a feeling her frantic stare would give her away completely.

"Is it me?" he asked, pressing her against the window still. The heat coming off the hot glass was enough to warm her back, and it was enough to provoke her even more, making it difficult to fight back the blush that was slowly creeping to her cheeks. He hooked his thumbs around the belt loops on either side of her jeans. "Why is it that you always want to devour me, Rin? Funny how just this morning my blood disgusted you," he said, smirking down at her.

"Don't be ridiculous," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him. Her brand new vampire instincts must have been confused. There was no way she wanted to drink Klaus' blood – that was just too weird. Unfortunately, her reckless emotions and growing bloodlust were making it especially difficult to keep a hold of her resolve.

"You can, if you like," he said casually, cocking his head at her. This was too much. He was giving her _permission? _How was she supposed to resist? He grinned down at her questioning eyes. It was too much fun, taunting her like this. There was no way he could tell her now that it wasn't so unusual for vampires to feed off each other.

He could barely register the moment before she turned him around, slamming him against the wall. Either he was getting rusty or she'd been given a bizarre amount of strength when she'd turned, and he was willing to bet it was the latter. He let his head roll back and hit the wall as he looked down at her. Briefly, she made eye contact, almost in passing, before violently ripping into his throat. Klaus hadn't been fed on like this in decades – while it was true that his blood held several healing properties, no one had dared attack him. Then again, he'd never given anyone permission. At least, not that he could remember.

After the pain passed, ecstasy hit him like summer waves. Suddenly, there was no mistaking why humans didn't struggle when he fed. This was bliss. For anyone less difficult to kill than him, it was dangerous bliss, but for him… she could drain all the blood from his body and he'd still be fine. In a slow, lazy movement, his hand floated up to her head to stroke her hair. It was all he could do not to buckle against her.

The overwhelming euphoria was beginning to call upon cravings of his own. Until now, it had been relatively easy to push away the recurring desire he felt to have her, all of her, but suddenly, his inhibitions were dripping away. It was like a true drunken haze that alcohol could never again produce for him. But a thousand-year-old hybrid knew better than to fall victim to that. After letting out a deep sigh, he opened his eyes and shoved her away, her fangs leaving gaping wounds in his throat. Glassy-eyed and confused, she stared up at him.

No, he couldn't resist that gaze. She'd never looked at him like this before, as if pleading for more. It was like she actually wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and that was too much to turn down. Instantly, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her deeply, delighting in her tiny groan and the remnants of bitter iron on her tongue. She arched against him and whimpered as pure, unadulterated lust pumped through her veins.

Klaus balked. It felt incredible to be this close to her but he had to force himself to think. A thousand years of experience could not possibly fail him now – he knew better than to take advantage of a new vampire. Her own emotions were markedly compromised, and she would regret this. If he was going to have sex with her, it would have to be on her terms, otherwise she'd react horribly. Removing his hands from her body was like resisting magnetic pull, but he did it and slammed his palms against the wall on either side of her.

Once again, she gave him that confused, desirous look. There was no way he could walk away from her right now, not like this. And since he'd just decided getting physical was a terrible decision, there was only one craving he could satisfy here. With his fangs hovering over her skin, he growled into her ear.

"_Can I?"_ In response, she tilted her head backwards, exposing her neck.

"Of course," she purred, running a hand through his hair. Her mind was already at peace with the satisfaction of her own craving, at least one of them, so the pleasure of being fed upon felt like a quiet, tumbling buzz. But soon enough, she felt her own lust grow and heat her body. From some untouched, forbidden corner of her mind, his name escaped her lips in a quiet murmur. "Niklaus." Instantly terrified of letting himself go, he pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers, still licking the blood from his lips as he tried to gather himself. The two of them searched each other's eyes for an explanation for the electric attraction. As Klaus had predicted, all thoughts of betrayal, his plotted murder, and the Chalice were absent from Rin's mind. He drew in a sharp, cleansing breath. Finally, he had the ability to step back, leaving her leaning against the wall in the maze of her own desire and heightened emotions.

She was speechless. In true Klaus fashion, he turned on his heel and escaped through the massive stairwell door.


	41. Giving It Up

**AN: Hi everyone! Sorry about the late update; I'm on vacation now and have limited time and access to the internet… I hope the crazy length of this chapter helps to make up for the wait, as well as the crazy things that go down. Happy reading, and thanks for your patience (:**

**Part Forty-one: Giving It Up**

Rin waited until he was on the other side of the house before moving. Slowly, she sank to the floor and leaned against the wall, her heart still racing. There was no way she could deny that, at least for the moment, she had been overwhelmingly attracted to him physically. She'd completely forgotten about the fact that he was responsible for turning her into a vampire, and for putting her life in danger, and he'd wanted to steal her powers, too. How could she have forgotten that? Kicking herself, she ran a hand through her inky hair as she pushed the thoughts from her mind.

Meanwhile, Klaus was still trying to gather himself. He'd walked out of the room, but his mind was still hovering over the curve of Rin's neck, pushed up against her and listening to her groan out his name over and over again in his mind. The attic suddenly felt colder and emptier than usual. He paced back and forth. It felt impossible to rip his mind from what had just happened.

Two days passed and Klaus and Rin went back to awkwardly acknowledging each other in passing. Every time their eyes met, they were reminded of the encounter in Kol's tower. Both Kol and Rebekah could see that something was up, though both of them had taken the decency not to eavesdrop that afternoon.

It took Rin some time to get used to not needing sleep as much. As a human, though she suffered from sometimes extreme insomnia, she still slept for a couple of hours each night. Now, as a vampire, she didn't need to sleep at all. Its new purpose was only to pass the time. After drinking blood, she felt newly rested, as if she'd already slept a full night.

But there was one thing still bothering her. No matter how much blood she consumed, she still felt a distinct emptiness. She still craved energy, despite her fairly consistent diet of human blood from the bags in the fridge. However, she could now go long periods without it. In fact, she hadn't fed at all since she'd been human. If she asked Klaus, she'd seem far more dependent on him than she preferred. Wanting to maintain at least some of her dignity, she went several days without confronting him. The only interaction they had were nods here and there. Once, Rin asked him to toss her the keys she'd left on the table before heading out to a coffee place to try and quell her energy craving with caffeine. It didn't help.

Eventually, Klaus broke their silence. He approached her as she sat in the tower, texting Damon and simultaneously braiding her hair. She hadn't told Damon she was a vampire now. It seemed like it would make things overly complicated.

She'd heard Klaus as he crept up the tower stairwell, long before he had his hand on the door. Without knocking, as usual, he swept in.

"Rin," he asked. She was sitting in the same place she had been when he'd visited her late at night, drunk. Granted, it was late now, but now that didn't matter. She was a vampire. She barely react to him at first, turning her head just slightly as she finished off a text with one hand and tossed her phone on the bed. Her free hand floated back up to her hair to continue braiding.

"Yes?" This was the first time in a while Klaus had directly addressed her without some circumstance or prompting beforehand. It was all she could do to keep her heart rate steady. However, this was a new skill she'd acquired as a vampire – it was easier to maintain calm, internally as well as externally. He didn't move, content with the lack of eye contact.

"Are you still a telepath?" He decided to cut right to the chase. To him, it seemed like Rin was avoiding him deliberately. He'd assumed she was put off by how close they'd gotten last week, and he had been trying to give her some space. So there was no longer any room for flirtation. He was going to exercise perfect restraint in that department.

Rin's stomach flip-flopped as her mind immediately jumped to the prospect of devouring his energy again. No, that was way too much to ask for, she reminded herself. Especially after already feeding on his blood last week.

But she could be honest, right?

"Yes," she said simply, tying off her braid and leaving it on her shoulder. She tucked her side bangs behind her ear and picked up her phone, replying to Damon's last message in an attempt to look casual.

"You've been feeding, then," assumed Klaus, wondering who she could have been sustaining herself on. Since it wasn't him…

She tossed her phone back onto the bed and stood up, suddenly regretting wearing one of her shorter nightdresses. It was deep purple silk, with lace straps. Silently, she thanked God that this one was at least more opaque than some of her others, despite its high hemline.

"No, I haven't," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. His eyes dropped to her bare legs for a brief moment before snapping back up to her eyes. If it weren't for her enhanced, vampiric sight, she wouldn't have even noticed it. She glared at him a little, curious. "How many times did you do that when I was human?" she demanded. The words left her mouth before she thought about them.

"Do what?"

"You just checked me out. I never would have noticed before," she said quickly, her eyes still narrowed at him.

"Beg your pardon?" He was at a loss. He'd barely noticed what he'd done, and he definitely hadn't expected her to notice, let alone call him out on it. She scoffed and shook her head.

"Forget it. Never mind. I haven't been feeding on energy at all. The blood holds me over," she said, turning to the window to draw the curtains over the garden view. The blood did hold her over, but it left her in a noticeably crabby mood. The crazy mood swings from her transition were more or less gone, but she still struggled with keeping her temper in check. It was why she'd been more or less silent to everyone in the house recently. It was either silence or overly catty comments at every turn.

"Does it really?" asked Klaus dubiously, leaning against the door frame. It was hard to tell if she was truly angry with him for his brief misstep or if she was just in a bad mood.

"Yes. It holds me over. Did you need anything else, or were you leaving?" she asked, shifting her hip to one side and crossing her arms once again.

"Someone's in a mood," said Klaus, raising a brow at her.

"Fuck off."

"I think you should feed," he said. As usual, Rin was taken aback by his generosity. But this was like the blood – she couldn't question it, let alone resist. Instantly, she drew a massive quantity of his life force into her mind and took a deep, cleansing breath. It felt like fresh water after days of dehydration. In the back of her mind, she noticed Klaus' expression twist into a struggle against his weakness. He leaned more heavily against the door frame. "Rin?"

She dropped her attack. It felt like she was able to draw in much more energy at a time than before. Notably tired but not wanting to seem it, Klaus pushed himself off the door frame and stood up straight. "You didn't transform," he said, frowning. She blinked, processing this information.

"Weird." It wasn't particularly important to her, she decided. She'd gotten what she needed and the familiar euphoria was pulsing through her veins once more. Transformation or not, it felt incredible. Immediately, she felt like herself again. The irritable mood was completely gone and now she wanted to do something.

"Weird, indeed," said Klaus, smiling sarcastically before turning on his heel to leave. If he stayed, he knew he'd do something stupid again. Instantly, Rin was behind him with her hand wrapped around his wrist. He looked at her over his shoulder and met her playful smile with a questioning look.

"Let's go somewhere," she said excitedly, her eyes dancing. "Let's drive." Though she wasn't drunk or high, he couldn't help but question if she was capable of driving like this. But it seemed like a good enough idea. She was offering, so he couldn't be blamed for pushing himself on her.

"Alright…" She flashed a coy smile before running into the closet and emerging in jeans and a simple black t-shirt. Despite just having put her braid in, she'd let her hair loose too. "_I'll _drive," he said pointedly as the two of them made their way down the stairs. She didn't argue. In the garage, he turned to her and smiled slightly, amused at her sudden mood swing. "Pick one," he said, gesturing to the various covered vehicles.

Rin paced between the cars, running her hands along some of them. She remembered which one was the db9, but she was in the mood for something else. After putting a great deal of thought into her choice, she stopped before one in the far corner.

"This one," she said, leaning on the covered vehicle. Klaus slowly made his way over to her and gestured toward the car, shrugging.

"Then let's see what it is," he said, smiling. Rin couldn't resist a slow grin as she pulled the cloth from the car, letting it fall to the floor. Underneath was a black Audi R8 in a carbon fiber finish. It was an exquisitely designed vehicle. Before she could do it herself, Klaus opened the passenger side door for her, and she fought back another grin as she slipped inside. Klaus' collections of luxury vehicles never failed to impress.

They pulled out of the garage in silence, Klaus carefully maneuvering around the other cars and then pulling onto the road. Rin rolled her windows down to let the warm summer air push her hair out of her face.

"Klaus?" she asked absently.

"Hm?" He was zoning out on the road as they gained speed on the highway.

"Is it strange? Watching the years go by?" Klaus was silent, considering this for a moment. He hadn't thought about it in a long time.

"Not after a while. Everything sort of blurs together," he said, his eyes still trained on the road.

"Does it go by faster? Or slower?"

"Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. It depends on what's going on. Some years are dry. Some… aren't," he said, looking over at her. The longer they kept eye contact, the more nervous Rin got. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Jesus, look at the road!" she said, gesturing to the windshield. He laughed a little and turned back to the highway, amused.

"You know I've been driving for a hundred years now, right?"

"I don't care if you're older than God himself," she replied casually, smirking at him. "Only the passenger gets to do reckless things." With that, she pressed the button on the dash to open the sunroof and unclicked her seatbelt, placing a brief kiss on his cheek before standing up to stick her head into the night air. There was no one on the road for miles and the stars twinkled above her like thousands of mischievous winks from the sky. Carefully balancing herself, she let go of the car and put her hands in the air, screaming into the open road like a crazed fan at a concert. It was something she'd always wanted to do, and now she could cross it off her bucket list.

Klaus glanced up at her. With the wind whipping her hair wildly behind her and the background of stars lighting up her golden skin, she once again resembled a goddess to him.

There was a sound from the side of the road and he thought he saw a figure standing there for a moment. Suddenly, he was concerned. It could be her killer, or Maya, or Damon. Slowly, he pulled over onto the shoulder and she dipped back into the car, exhilarated. "Why are we stopping?" He didn't say anything, he only peered into the mirrors before deciding there was no one there for the moment.

"Someone is following us," he said quietly, glaring through the rear windshield. Even though he couldn't see whoever it was at the moment, they definitely hadn't just disappeared. There had clearly been a figure standing there among the cornstalks.

"I didn't see anyone," said Rin questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Let's go back," he said. The best thing to do was to get back to safety. If they were home, there was no way he would miss someone creeping around the grounds or sneaking into the manor.

"We've only been out for like half an hour," replied Rin, disappointed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," he said before quickly whipping the car around. She instinctively grabbed the handle in the door to keep her balance before clicking on her seatbelt.

"Goddamn," she grumbled, annoyed that they had to go home. She'd been having a truly great time for the first time since the Giorango.

They drove along without incident for a hundred yards or so before someone appeared before the car, just far enough for Klaus to slam on the brakes before plowing over them.

The two vampires stared for a moment, stunned, as Maya came around to the side of the car. Rin didn't recognize her, having never seen her in person before, but Klaus was nearly ready to rev the engine again and run her over. Rin may be a vampire now, but Maya was still more than capable of causing her a great deal of damage. She wasn't an Original, and she was newly turned. Between the two of them, Maya was still the stronger one, and may even still be capable of killing her.

"Klaus. Good to see you again," she said evenly, her smiling feigning warmth.

"You act like it's a coincidence," he replied, returning her frosty grin.

"You realize you've made a horrible mistake, don't you?" she said pointedly, raising a brow at him. She turned to Rin, who was slowly putting the situation together. "I realize you're no longer human." Rin cocked her head at the older woman.

"No. I'm not. I realize you've been trying to kill me," she said, wondering if Maya would still try to end her life. If she did, would Rin be able to take her?

"And I realize someone beat me to the punch," replied Maya, smiling once again. "_And_ dear Klaus decided to take matters into his own hands by turning a telepath into a vampire. Horrible, horrible mistake," she said, shaking her head.

"How so?" asked Rin, genuinely curious. It seemed like there was something they didn't know here. But Maya only continued shaking her head.

"If I let you live now, you'll realize it eventually," she said, sticking her arm out in Rin's direction. Instantly, the car door opened and she tumbled from the car as if pushed by some otherworldly force. Klaus lunged for her wrist but barely missed it and immediately exited the vehicle, storming around the side of the car.

"Maya, there's no reason for this. Rebekah has the Chalice, and she will return it to you. Neither Rin nor I have any control over the matter," he said, glaring viciously at the witch. Rin was pulled to her feet and shoved back onto the road, skidding several feet. The raw marks on her skin refused to heal, and she was still immobile.

"What the hell is this?!" she demanded, struggling to lift her limbs. But they were like lead weights.

"Don't lie to me, Klaus. You have the Chalice, and I want it now," she said as the wounds on her arms and legs split open even more. Klaus rolled his eyes, fuming internally. His stomach churned a bit – Maya was capable of extremely strong magic. Magic that he realized Rin might not stand a chance against.

"I don't have the Chalice. Rebekah has it. If you like, we can go and get it now," he said evenly, crossing his arms over his chest. He trained his gaze on Maya, not wanting to look at Rin. The sight of her falling victim to Maya's sorcery might make him gag.

"It's my property, Klaus. I know where it is. It's here," she said, pulling a thin wooden stake from her jacket. Klaus' stomach did a flip. Rin struggled once more against the invisible bonds that held her to the ground. Realizing it was useless, she tried to help her own case.

"Maya, I'll get the Chalice. Rebekah will give it to me if I ask," she said quickly, not wanting to rely on Klaus' goodwill. It had failed her too many times in the past.

"Quiet, girl. This isn't about you," replied the witch, refusing to even look at her. "The Chalice, Klaus. Now."

"_I know where it is,_" insisted Rin, glaring up at the witch. _Bitch_, she added in her mind, willing her to turn around. Instantly, Maya whipped around, shock spreading across her features. Before Rin realized what she was doing, Maya had fallen to her knees and was clutching herself, one hand over her heart and one over her stomach. The stake fell to the ground. "I'll get you your cup if you release me," she hissed, suddenly understanding that she was draining Maya of her life force. That was one perk to being a telepath, at least – she didn't need physical contact to feed.

But Maya wouldn't budge.

"You're much more foolish than I thought," she said, struggling slightly to get words out. "You can't get away with killing me now. Too many of my witches would come after you. And your friend is more than capable of handing me the Chalice right now." She forced a grin at her. Rin glared and drained more energy from the immobile witch. Although her spell was still in place and she couldn't move, the least she could do was get back at her a little.

Klaus was wracking his mind. Where could Rebekeh have hidden the Chalice? Could he find it now? He felt his pockets for his phone and realized he'd left it at home. Rin hadn't brought anything either. _Shit_. While Rin kept Maya at bay, he thought back to the day he suspected Rebekah had stolen the Chalice. In hindsight, he'd realized Kol had been distracting him while he looked for alternate spells. Where would she keep it? Could he run home and get it now? Could she have a secret compartment in his wall, like he had? His mind raced before he turned back the car and suddenly it clicked. She'd taken this car out later that day. Could it be…?

In moments, he was ripping through the contents of the trunk. A pair of umbrellas, a toolbox of some sort, and a pair of Rebekah's stilettos fell to the ground as he tossed things out of the trunk. He heard Maya laugh over his shoulder.

"So you've caught on," she said, trying futilely to get to her feet. Klaus ignored her, rifling through the trunk still. When it was empty, he decided the Chalice had to be elsewhere. Immediately, he moved to the backseat of the car and peered under the seats.

There, underneath the passenger seat. It was the same case he had the Chalice in when it was tucked into the wall. He ripped the case open and pulled it from its felt lining, holding it in his hand for the first time in months.

It was a truly beautiful artifact. Crafted in Babylonian times, the Judas Chalice was made of solid 24-karat gold. Despite the Aramaic inscriptions having faded slightly and the cold highway streetlights, it still gleamed gloriously. Upon seeing it, his mind leapt to his original plan once more. If there were ever a time to carry it out… it would be now. He could ask her to complete the spell here, on the highway, with Rin restrained and the Chalice present. In fact, Rin might not even die – she was a vampire. She could survive, and the spell might still work. Was it possible?

He looked over at her, crazed with indecision. It was obvious the same thing was going through her mind. Would he give this up now? Or forget the plan for her sake? She sighed, looking away from him. Instantly, she began preparing herself for disappointment. He would let her down again; it was impossible for him to understand sacrifice. Slowly, her brow furrowed with dismay. She could no longer look at him.

Seeing her expression, his mind was made up, at least for the moment. Before it changed again, he needed to act. Slowly, he swallowed his pride and stood, walking over to the witch. She stared at up him solemnly as Rin looked on, waiting for him to ask Maya to complete the spell.

His fingers tightened around the Chalice momentarily before it fell to the dark road with a shallow _clang_. Maya instantly grabbed for it and Rin dropped her attack on the witch, shocked.

"Take it," he growled, his hand clenching into a fist as he glared down at the witch. Maya quickly began to gather herself. The words echoed in her mind, the gravity of his decision hitting her. He was giving it up. He was giving everything up.

**AN: No, the story is still nowhere near done, but please write me a review! My humble thanks go out to RealHuntress18 and VampireJacinta, my two faithful reviewers. Please join them! Let me know where you want the story to go from here. I have a lot of ideas, but I'm always wondering what you guys would want me to do with Klaus and Rin. Are there any other pairings you guys are interested in? Is there anything you thought was strange or uncharacteristic? What do you think of my OC? **

**Thanks for any potential feedback; I really appreciate it. I've been working really hard on this story from the start and I hope you guys can take a moment to pitch in a little to give me some inspiration. Thank you! (: **


	42. Trust

**AN: ADJFKLS:FJ I just got back from Yosemite National Park and there was no WiFi OR internet. I've had this chapter written for like four days and I'm finally uploading it now ughh. That was so annoying. Anyway, thanks to VampireJactina, RealHuntress18, and Emblazoned-Writing for your reviews!**

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**Part Forty-two: Trust**

With the Chalice in her hand, Maya seemed to gain back her strength abnormally quickly. As soon as she found her feet, she took a deep breath and addressed Klaus once again.

"I'm glad you've made one good decision. But this…" she turned to Rin. "This isn't going to end well." With that, she was gone as abruptly as she had come, leaving the two of them hovering in the empty highway. There was minute of silence before a motorcycle sped by. When it was gone, the silence simply lingered on. Klaus ran a hand through his hair and turned around, still trying to wrap his mind around what he'd done. Rin did the same, shifting her weight to one side. This was getting awkward.

"Thanks," she said, finally breaking the quiet. "I wasn't expecting you to do that. I appreciate it." He sighed, still turned away from her and looking down the highway. The stillness felt surreal. Had he dreamt the whole thing? Had he perhaps _not_ given up his grand plans for immense strength and power?

Without saying anything, he opened the passenger side door for Rin and walked around to the other side of the car. Silently, she got in.

There was more silence as they drove along the highway, broken only by the whir of an occasional car speeding by. She sighed, leaning back on the head rest and turning to look at him.

"Seriously, Klaus… I know that was hard for you." He merely stared hollowly at the road. Slowly, she started to get annoyed. "Look, I'm trying to say thank you. And I'm sorry you had to do that. But I'm glad you didn't sacrifice me, okay?" She glared at him, still getting no response. Fuming, she crossed her arms over her chest and stayed quiet for a while. But it was impossible to keep it up. She was getting angry. "God, you're such a baby. You keep someone from dying and all of a sudden it's this big fucking problem. Like you can't handle giving up a single thing for someone else's sake. What the hell is your problem, Klaus?" she said, her voice rising steadily. "You act like you're in love with me for an hour, and then you go back to wanting to sacrifice me to steal my telepathy. You still don't know if you even want me alive. Why didn't you just slaughter me out there?!" she demanded, glaring at him viciously.

Her words were digging into him. He could hear her rage, and it was ripping him apart. It was so difficult to find the words to explain that yes, it had been hard for him, but there was really no question about it after a moment's hesitation. This had to get resolved, now. He pulled over and slammed on the brakes once more, and instantly she turned to him again as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Seriously? Maybe I should fucking drive, you—Mmph!" She was cut off by his lips on hers. Confined by her own seatbelt and his broad shoulders, she pushed against his chest and pulled away, turning to the side. He grabbed her head, one hand on each side of her face.

"_Look at me._" He forcefully turned her and looked straight into her eyes. "I didn't slaughter you out there because I'm _in love with you._ I'm a power-hungry, crazed demon and I'm going straight to hell but I'm in love with you." Though he'd started off strong, his voice slowly took on a pleading note. He paused, looking at her. "I'm in love with you." Every time he heard his own voice speak the words, it blew his mind even more. What was he doing? It felt like acting on autopilot with his original, pre-Rin self watching from some far-off television screen. "I need you alive because you made me question myself," he said, repeating his words from earlier that month.

Rin was at a loss. This was… unexpected. Kol and Rebekah had told her, and it made sense, but she'd never believed it. So she'd been right about his indecision – there was a part of him that, until a moment ago, wasn't sure what he wanted. But he'd made a choice and now he was committed to it. And here he was, confessing his love for her. She searched his eyes for some hint of untruth but he looked honest. Aside from that, he looked lost, and seemed to be looking desperately for a way out of himself right there in the car, in her eyes.

But he'd tried to kill her. There was no denying that this had to have been a fairly new thing since his original plan was to slaughter her and take her powers. How could she forget that? On a few occasions, he'd almost killed her himself. There were so many bad memories. Distrust and fear were impenetrably intertwined with him in her mind. But there was so much attraction between them. She'd be a fool to deny the electricity she felt when he got close to her, or the flaming lust she'd felt that day by the tower window.

She'd been silent for a while, and he noticed it. Slowly, he squeezed his eyes shut and released her, returning to the driver's seat and staring at the road for a moment.

And then there was Damon. God, all the times Klaus had seen her with him… It had really hurt him. He'd been jealous, and she'd completely ignored it. The day she'd become a vampire, Damon had offered to have her stay at the Boarding House instead of at the Mikaelson Estate. But she'd stayed. Why? The obvious answer was the man sitting next to her in the car. The confusion was overwhelming.

"Can you just take me home?" she said quietly after another solid minute of silence. There was no way she could respond to what he'd told her right now. She had to think about whether or not she could ever forgive him or trust him. And she had to think about what, exactly, she felt for him.

"Where's home?" asked Klaus, sure that she would want to be dropped off at her apartment. That, or she would run to Damon. There was no way she'd want anything to do with him now. She thought about his question, knowing what he expected.

"Where I live. With you," she said, hugging her knees to her chest. She felt cold all of a sudden. With him so close to her and his sudden confession, her blood had started pumping faster. Now, it was calming down, and she shivered feeling his sudden absence.

He turned to look at her, frowning a little.

"Rin…"

"Just drive," she said tiredly, not wanting to explain her desire to go to his house. It just felt like where she belonged at this point. Going back to the apartment just for the sake of getting away from him seemed ridiculous. Not when she had her beautiful four-poster bed waiting for her in Klaus' bedroom.

She balked. No, that was wrong. In the tower, not Klaus' bedroom. She hadn't slept there in weeks.

Klaus didn't question it anymore and they drove back home in silence. Immediately, Rin rushed into the tower room and shut the door behind her, collapsing onto the bed. Obviously, sleep wasn't coming any time soon. She lay awake in the darkness for a while and Kol caught her off-guard, sneaking up on her.

"What happened?" he asked quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed. She didn't look at him.

"I don't know what you mean," she said evenly, looking out the window. Kol sighed.

"Look, I don't mean to pry, but it's been a bit… weird… with you and Nik lately," he said slowly. She didn't reply for a while. Could she tell Kol? He seemed to be coming to her as a friend here, and she needed to sort out her thoughts. Maybe he could help her a little with that. She took a deep breath and gave him the Cliffsnotes version of what happened.

"We went for a drive. Maya found us and the Chalice was in the car. And… he gave it to her. I tried to thank him, and he just seemed mad, so I got mad, and then he told me—" She stopped, not sure how to put this. "He told me he's in love with me?" She didn't mean for it to come out sounding like a question. Kol stared at her.

"See, the only part that shocks me there is the part where you said he _gave her_ the Chalice. He just gave it to her?!" he asked incredulously, frowning at her through the darkness. She nodded slowly.

"Just… tossed it on the ground. And she took it and left," she said, still not quite believing it herself. Kol was quiet for a moment, pondering this.

"Rin, it's official. He's really in love with you," he said somberly. He regarded her carefully, noticing how confused she was about all this. Could Klaus really be good for her? To him, it didn't seem likely. It didn't even seem right. He'd tried to kill her, and wasn't he going to be angry for a while knowing that he'd given everything up for her sake? He was an animal. No matter how strong or clever Rin was, there was no way she could deal with the frequency of Klaus' questionable decisions. To Kol, his brother's goodwill seemed like a temporary thing. He may love her, but he had a way of hurting those he loved. But he couldn't tell Rin that just now. It would have to wait for a less confusing time. "But…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the floor. He hadn't really done this before. "What do you feel for him?"

Rin was slightly uncomfortable with opening up to Kol, but it was all she had for now.

"I don't know anymore," she said, frowning and pulling a pillow to her chest. "I can't walk away from him," she said, remembering how, after everything, she'd still wanted to come back here. "He drives me crazy."

"Crazy?" asked Kol, laughing a little. "How so? I mean, not that he doesn't drive us all crazy."

"God, I don't know! I never know what he's going to do next. I never know if I can trust him," she said. "Sometimes I'm… afraid of him," she added quietly. It was strange for her to admit being afraid. She couldn't remember ever confessing her fear before, to anyone. Kol nodded again, taking this in.

"Rin, you should know that Klaus hurts the people he cares about. It's in his nature. But he also wants you, and when he wants something, he will never give it up."

"He gave up the Chalice," said Rin.

"Because he wants you more than he wanted the Chalice," countered Kol, knowing it for certain. "You should consider that," he said, getting up to leave. For whatever reason, the whole situation seemed wrong to him, but he couldn't do anything about that now. It was clear that she cared for him as well, and she wouldn't admit it. It was obvious in the way she gravitated toward him and never resisted his advances. In a way, she forgot all about his drawbacks when they were together. There was no stopping it now. A deep sense of disappointment crept over him as he paced down the steps. He'd come back to Mystic Falls to get back at Klaus. And it had worked – he'd been forced to sacrifice what he wanted, and that was the point. His brother didn't get the telepathy.

But had he counted on him getting the telepath?

Rin changed back into her nightdress and robe and tossed and turned for a while, occasionally texting Damon. Slowly, as the night wore on, it became obvious to her what she had to do. It was close to three AM when she kicked her legs over the edge of the bed and padded across the house to Klaus' quarters. He'd probably be in the attic by now, but with his hypersensitive hearing he wouldn't miss her knock. She knocked quietly and there was no reply. Sighing, she turned the doorknob and found that it was open. Slowly, she crept in to the room and found that, sure enough, he was in the attic. Having to chase after him like this felt horribly uncharacteristic, but she swallowed her pride and made her way up the stairwell. However, she knew this door would be locked. When she knocked, there was still no reply. Frowning, she wondered if he'd perhaps gone out.

Suddenly, her mind jumped to her pocket. The key. Kol had given her the attic key, and she'd been wearing this robe that night. The key was there, in her pocket. Gingerly, she turned it in the lock and the door swung open.

There, lying on the bed, was Klaus, shirtless, with massive studio monitors wrapped around his ears. His eyes were closed, and he was curled up slightly. So that was why he hadn't heard her. The lights were on, and Rin could see around the attic. It was the complete opposite of his "bedroom" downstairs. There were piles of clothes strewn about and books, papers, and various doo-dads covering every surface. The room downstairs was just for appearances, she realized.

She paced over to him and looked at him for a moment. For once, he was perfectly relaxed. It was a rare sight. It almost felt wrong to disturb him, but she reached out and brushed her fingertips against his arm. She hadn't noticed before how defined his shoulders were.

Instantly, his eyes snapped open and he sat up straight, the headphones falling to the bed.

"How did you get in?" he demanded, trying to remember if he'd left the door open. No one had been in this part of the house in the last fifty years except him, and it was a bit of a shock to find another living being here.

"Kol gave me the key," she replied, staring at him. Suddenly, he was back to the regular Klaus – all glares and coldness.

"Now _why_ would he do that?" he hissed, getting out of bed. He found a t-shirt lying on the floor and pulled it on.

"It was a while ago," she said, shifting her weight to one side. Why couldn't he just stay relaxed? Part of her wanted to slam the headphones back over his ears and storm back down the stairs. "I wanted to talk to you," she said. Klaus couldn't stop his eyes from lighting up a little, but he instantly regained his icy expression.

"What about?" he asked, walking toward the window with his arms crossed.

"What you said earlier today. I want you to know that I don't know if I can trust you again. I don't know if we could ever work, because you almost had me killed. But I also want you to know that…" she trailed off a little, her heart speeding up. He turned around and began pacing back toward her with a serious expression on his face. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I want it to work. I wish it could," she said, just as he stopped before her.

"And why is that?" he asked. It looked like he was fighting back a wide, sarcastic grin. She could barely believe it – even now, he was keeping up the cocky jerk act. Well, two could play at that game.

"Because I like fast cars, and I like sexy shoulders. And you have both of those things," she said, smirking up at him. "But who knows? I might not be able to ever trust you," she said casually, turning on her heel. As predicted, he reached out to grab her arm.

"I don't want to hurt you again," he said quickly. She turned back around, pleased that he was being serious again.

"Prove it." He frowned a little, pulling her to him.

"How would you like me to prove that?" he asked, genuinely confused. Klaus had never been in the business of proving himself. She gaped at him, rolling her eyes.

"You're going to be the worst boyfriend ever," she said, sighing. "Just _don't hurt me_." He raised a brow.

"I've already given you a ring," he said with a smirk. "I should think I'm at _least_ your fiancé." Her lips parted a little in surprise.

"Please, don't get too excited," she said, wrenching herself away from him. "Figure out a way to prove it. I'm going to bed." She swept into the stairwell and paused after closing the door behind her, gathering herself. What the hell had just happened? _Did you just call him your _boyfriend_? Jesus, Rin._ She could hear him in his room – he hadn't moved either. So here they were, separated by a door at her own will. _What do you want?_ she asked herself, frowning.

Knowing he was probably waiting her for to move, she forced herself to walk across the manor and get in bed. Now was a good time to drift into vampiric sleep. She was too tired to think.


	43. Some Freak

**AN: Sorry again about the long wait! I was taking some time off from fic to work and sleep and such. Thanks again to VampireJacinta, RealHuntress18, and Emblazoned-Writing for your reviews! **

**Part Forty-three: Some Freak**

A searing burn woke Rin as soon as her brain registered what was happening. Her nose and mouth were covered by some sort of wet cloth which she deduced was causing the pain. As soon as her vision became clear, she could see someone on top of her in the darkness, holding the cloth to her face, and it was definitely a man. Instinctively, she kneed her attacker as hard as she could. He grunted in pain but continued doing whatever his hands were busy with. When she glanced down, her wrists were tied tightly together and the rope was burning into her skin with the same ferocity as the cloth on her face. She kneed him again and this time he buckled, hopping away from her and rolling onto the floor, cursing under his breath.

She sat up, panicked. The cloth was tied around her head, she realized. Her wrists and face were on fire. What was this? _I thought I didn't have weaknesses anymore,_ she thought, deciding Klaus must have left some parts out of his nonexistent briefing on how to be a vampire. With every breath, whatever poison was on the cloth was seeping into her lungs. A muffled scream escaped her lips as she tried desperately to rip away from the rope around her wrists, but it felt like it would cut her hands off before she could rip it apart. She raised both hands to her face and tried to claw off the cloth but it was tied to her head with some complicated knotting.

Her attacker stood, brushing himself off and turning to face her.

"You won't be able to get those off," he said, raising a brow at her as she struggled.

Instantly, Rin felt a lightning-fast movement in the darkness. When she looked closely, it was Kol, and before she knew what had happened he'd snapped her attacker's neck.

"Who the hell is this?!" he asked, frowning. When he turned to look at her, he winced. "That'll be vervain." He crossed his arms, wondering what to do here. The man at his feet was definitely a vampire, because a human could never have broken in undetected, and that meant he'd be awake in minutes. He only had a second to get the vervain-laced restraints off Rin. "I'll be back in a bit," he said, rushing down to the kitchen.

Through the blazing pain in her lungs, wrists, and face, she wondered where Klaus was. When she focused on the attic in her mind's eye, her vampiric hearing picked up on muted music enclosed in headphones. He'd gone back to his music. So that was why Kol had been the one to find her attacker.

When he came back, he had rubber gloves on. The pain in her lungs was making her disoriented and she felt the need to laugh at the sight of him wearing them, but before she knew it he'd ripped the cloth from her face. Instantly, she doubled over and hacked up blood. Kol, not sure what to do as she began to vomit, put a hand on the back of his neck and looked away. Should he get Klaus? Was Rebekah asleep? He glanced at Rin as she gagged and frowned. The vervain had gotten into her lungs. He hoped it would run its course on its own, because he had no idea how to get vervain out of a vampire's insides.

"Rin?" he asked, taking a step toward her. Her face was pale with bloodlust and there was a pool of dark red growing on the ground. "Is it, er… Is it getting any better?" He paused, waiting to see if she was able to answer. "At all?" She managed to stop coughing for a moment to look up at him desperately.

"It's him," she growled. Her throat was raw with vervain. "Killed me!" She went into another gagging fit, tears streaming down her face from the irritation in her sinuses. It was like allergies from Hell. She pictured Satan himself breathing down her throat as she gagged and began to laugh deliriously.

There was something frightening about the way she was laughing and Kol tried to block out the sound. He could only assume what she'd meant earlier was that the unconscious vampire was her killer. As if he'd heard, his eyes began to flutter open and he cracked his neck back into place. But before he could get to his feet, he was pulled up by the collar. A raging Klaus had burst in the tower room door. Kol frowned. How had he known?

His answer stood behind him – Rebekah had heard the commotion and gone into the attic to alert her brother, becoming the second person other than Klaus in years to step foot in his sacred domain. But Klaus didn't have time to be angry about that. This was much more worthy of his ire.

He slammed the intruder into the wall and everyone heard a sickening crack as he punched him in the jaw.

"Evening. Who might you be?" asked Klaus. There was a chilling edge to his voice – it was hauntingly relaxed. The silver-haired vampire gave as smug of a smirk as he could manage, revealing bloody teeth.

"She's kinda hot, isn't she?" he asked, indirectly expressing no desire to answer the question. Klaus glared and violently shoved him to the ground before storming over to Rin, who was slowly progressing from full-fledged vomiting to somewhat regular breathing and slight coughing. He grabbed her hands and ripped the rope from her wrists, catching her attention. In his anger, the sting didn't seem to affect him. Rin coughed once more before dropping to the ground, waiting for her body to heal up and trying to give Klaus a look of thanks. Unfortunately, he was too distracted to notice.

He grabbed the weakened vampire again, slamming him against the floor before shoving the vervain-laced rope into his mouth. Rin's killer's eyes widened and he let out a muffled cry of pain, struggling to get the gag out of his mouth. Klaus had his hands restrained at his waist.

"Swallow it," growled Klaus, his expression perfectly even save for a twitch in his jaw. Kol and Rebekah, disgusted, were reminded that their brother's rage knew no limits. As she healed up, Rin registered what was going on and was equally horrified. The killer groaned in protest, becoming delirious as Rin had from the exposure. Both Kol and Rebekah wanted to say something, but knew it would be a terrible idea to divert Klaus' rage to themselves. Rin slowly sat up, finally feeling her strength come back.

"Wait," she said. Her voice sounded like it was scraping the inside of her throat. She pulled herself to her feet, wiping the blood from her lips. Klaus had barely registered her voice, but he noticed when she leaned down to put a hand on his arm. "Wait," she said again, struggling to get the word out. He shot her a horrified glare and shoved her attacker back down, leaving the rope in his mouth. She stood up, standing over him. With her bare toe, she pulled the rope from his mouth. No need for extra mercy, after all.

"Explain. Now," she said coldly, looking into the man's eyes. He turned to his side and spluttered out blood, twitching from the pain.

"So that does hurt," he said, laughing a little. "Your boyfriend's a psycho." Klaus' hands were balled into fists and he urgently fought the desire to drive a bed post through the intruder's chest. The man on the floor was just about to sit up when Rin kicked him in the ribs, hard.

"Answer my question!" she roared. When she raised her voice, it came out sounding nothing short of demonic. As his ribs healed, he found his voice once again and looked up at her.

"I tried to kill you and fucked it up, so I'm trying again," he said. His smirk was unwavering as he jumped to his feet, apparently fully healed already. From his coat, he pulled a thin wooden stake. He lunged toward her but she dodged his weapon, turning to the side and instinctively kicking him in the back of his left leg. He buckled for a moment, which was just long enough for her to wrench the stake from his hand. Klaus watched, impressed. He'd been right – she made an excellent vampire.

"I'm assuming this can kill me, so it can kill you too?" she said, feigning cheerfulness as she shoved him onto his stomach. With the stake pressed against his jugular, she asked another question. "Who sent you?" He growled up at her.

"No one sent me. I'm Seth. You killed my uncle, bitch," she frowned, kicking him in the head once before releasing him.

"You have the wrong person," she hissed. As far as she knew, she'd never killed anyone. Not even now, as a vampire. He stood up, cracking his neck again.

"You're the only telepath in the world. You killed him. I'm avenging him. " Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what had happened. _No._

She turned to the other vampires.

"Can you give us a minute?" she asked. Rebekah left immediately, followed by Kol, who shot the intruder a death glare before leaving. Klaus remained.

"No," he said, his eyes trained on Seth. Rin sighed. Klaus was so stubborn.

"Klaus, seriously."

"No."

"Yeah, Klaus, give us a minute," said Seth, mimicking Rin. In moments, Klaus had his hand wrapped around his throat.

"I'm the original hybrid. Piss me off again, and I'll leave you to die of a werewolf bite," he growled. For the first time, his victim showed a hint of fear, but he wouldn't let go of his pride.

"I heard she was living with some freak," he said. Rin had had enough of this.

"Fuck's sake! Klaus, drop him. I want to talk to him." Reluctantly, Klaus shoved him to the floor after one final glare. With that, he stalked out of the room and waited outside the door, listening. Rin sighed before speaking. "Okay. I might have killed your uncle, but I had no idea. It would have been when I was less experienced and targeting unknown sources for energy." She looked him in the eye, wanting this to look as genuine as it felt. "So… I'm sorry. I didn't know." Hoping that was all it would take, she waited patiently for his response. His eyes were cold.

"Honestly, I don't care if you knew or not. He was all I had, and you took that away from me. I can't let you live, especially not like this." He took a step toward her. The stern look on his face gave her the chills. "A vampire _and_ a telepath? No one can have that kind of strength." He brushed his finger against her throat. "At least as a human you were delicious," he said. All signs of the sarcastic, smug blonde from earlier had disappeared.

Outside, Klaus' blood boiled. He'd fed on her before she died. No one was allowed to feed on her. Damon, he would have to tolerate, but Seth had fed on her without her permission and with lethal intent. For that, he would have to pay somehow.

She took a deep breath, avoiding his gaze. Her mind drifted to the weapon she still had in his hand – wasn't he being a little trusting, letting her keep it? There was only one way to find out. With light speed, she shoved it through his shoulder. He grunted and glared up at her as he doubled over, instantly trying to pull it from his body.

"You missed," he said with gritted teeth as he extracted the stake. Before she could process what was going on, he was coming at her with its tip pointed at her heart. Just in time, she dodged his attack and whirled around, suddenly behind him. As he turned, she grabbed his arm and twisted it, restricting his movement.

"I don't want to kill you," she said, annoyed that he was forcing her to fight. If he didn't let up, he'd give her no choice – she'd find a way to kill him. "I want you to turn around, walk away, and leave me alone. I told you, I'm sorry, and I didn't know what I was doing." He tried to wrench away from her and Rin found that he was surprisingly weak – how had she overpowered him?

So she didn't want to kill him, still. Though he knew she would eventually have to kill _someone_, this particular situation gave him an idea. Now was the perfect time to act – he was restrained. He swept back into the room and approached Seth. Rin rolled her eyes. "Really, Klaus?" He ignored her and looked the pale-haired vampire in the eye.

"You're not going to hurt anyone who lives here, understand? That includes Rin, my siblings, and I." Rin recognized compulsion immediately. "But I'm quite sure you'd have a hard time hurting me, you miserable little creature," he finished with a characteristic smirk. Rin sucked in a deep breath, annoyed. He'd fought her battle for her. Irritated, she thrust Seth to the floor and he landed with loud _thump_. Klaus kicked him once, hard. Rin put her palm to her forehead.

"You didn't need to—"

"I wanted to," he said, still smirking down at him. Seth was groaning as his ribs healed.

"Whatever," said Rin, pushing past Klaus toward the balcony. She needed a smoke. She'd left the pack on the little table outside a few days ago, and, thankful that it hadn't rained, she pulled one from it and lit with the lighter she'd also left lying there. In seconds, Klaus was at her side.

"Why are you upset?" he asked suspiciously. He'd solved her problem, hadn't he? She ignored him at first, and he plucked the cigarette from her fingers to take a drag. That got her attention.

"Because I could have handled that," she said, grabbing the cigarette back from her.

"You might have for a while, but he'd be back," replied Klaus evenly. He hadn't expected her to react this way. "You can't compel vampires." She glared out at the grounds, taking a deep drag and exhaling slowly. He had a point.

"I killed his uncle." A heavy silence hovered between them. Klaus sighed.

"It happens." Reluctance barely brushed his tone – it felt odd to justify murder to someone he'd been unable to kill. Sort of backwards. Rin's features twisted into a somber expression. Once again, she was reminded how ruthless Klaus could be. And once again, she was reminded that he'd abandoned that ruthlessness where she was concerned.

Suddenly, she was torn. He was shrugging off ending an innocent man's life. It was impossible to ignore how cold that was. But she was still standing here – the strongest man in the universe had spared her. But could she fall victim to reveling in that small mercy? No, it didn't feel right. She couldn't give him credit for failing to kill her. But could she blame him, a thousand-year-old hybrid who'd seen centuries of slaughter, for seeing murder as less of a crime than it really was? Did it even feel like a crime after so many years? She could ask him later.

For now, it felt criminal enough to ignore his coldness, but comfortably so, like breaking a heart or smoking a cigarette. She took another drag, looking up at him and exhaling toward the floor. Being like him would be too much for her. But being _with_ him made her feel in her element – bad. And bad felt good.

She tossed her cigarette over the edge of the balcony and grabbed him by collar of his shirt, tugging him forward. After a smolderingly slow kiss, she shoved him back.

"Don't do that again." Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked back into the tower. Klaus squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and opened them just in time to see her leaning down to speak to Seth. _What the hell was that?_

"Look, I can't let you kill me, but I can try to repay you for what happened. Is there anything you need?" Seth's eyes glared up at her from his seat on the floor but his lips formed a smirk. It was startlingly reminiscent of Kol's icy gaze.

"I don't think you get that luxury, Sugar." Klaus bristled upon hearing his obnoxious term of endearment and plucked another cigarette from Rin's pack. If he was going to restrain himself, she could forgive him for the theft. Rin glared down at him and grabbed him by the arm to wrench him to his feet.

"Klaus!" _Finally_, he thought, sauntering back inside with the cigarette in his hand. Rin made a mental note to allow herself the occasional indoor smoke as well. "Make him leave, please," she said with a stiff jaw. If Seth wouldn't accept her offer, he would have to go. Immediately, the pale-haired vampire looked away, but Klaus' superior compulsion was not limited to eye contact. His voice was enough to force Seth to look back.

"Leave," he hissed. Instantly, Seth pulled away from Rin, and with a final glare at Klaus he turned around and made his way to the door. As soon as they heard him walk out the front door, he shot her a grin. "I thought you told me not to do that again." She couldn't help but return his smirk.

"It doesn't count if I'm asking you to," she said. The sun was coming up on the horizon and Rin sighed, realizing she wouldn't sleep again for a while. Upon noticing her looking out the window, Klaus remembered his promise from earlier that night to make everything up to her. Maybe now was a good opportunity for that.

"Need a drink?" he offered, raising a brow. Tearing her eyes away from the rising sun, she pulled her hair into a high ponytail.

"Yes; several." She let him lead her down the winding stairs into the cellar.


	44. Hiding

**AN: Since it's Ramadan and I'm really busy with religious stuff, there's been quite a wait between the last chapter and this one, and I'm sorry about that but until August 10****th****-ish I'll be fairly slow ._. Anywho, I want to think all my faithful reviewers and although I'm not usually big on providing soundtracks for fanfiction, I'd like to mention Sky Ferreira's song "Everything Is Embarrassing" as the main inspiration and muse for this chapter. There's absolutely no way I could have finished this chapter without that song and also its music video, which inspired me in a weird way to write this xD **

**It's kind of fluff, in a Klaus/Rin sort of way. Read on, lovelies!**

* * *

**Part Forty-four: Hiding**

An hour later, the two of them had lost count of how many times their respective wine glasses had been refilled. Sighing, Rin crossed her legs and leaned against one of the wine racks.

"It's a lot harder to get drunk, huh?" she murmured. Klaus laughed a bit to himself.

"You didn't have much tolerance to begin with, did you?"

"I'm like… sober."

"You aren't." Klaus abandoned his glass and took a swig off a two hundred-year-old bottle of chardonnay. "You really aren't."

"Just dizzy," she said, beginning to stand up. Halfway to her full stature, she stumbled a little and winced, sitting back down. "A little drunk." She offered a small smile as she leaned her had back against the wine rack once again, pulling her knees to her chest. "I have a question," she stated.

"Ask away, love," said Klaus, switching the Chardonnay for the half-full blood bag on the floor. He was significantly less intoxicated than Rin.

"Why can you compel vampires but I can't? Do I learn?" She reached for the Chardonnay and Klaus watched as she took a long drink. A drop of the glistening liquid fell from her lips and she frowned, wiping at her mouth. He grinned as she awaited his answer.

"No, you don't learn. I can do it because I'm an Original."

"Only Originals can compel vampires?" He nodded, taking the bottle back from her. He mixed a few drops of blood into it, swirling it around a bit before taking another sip. "Did you compel me?" she asked tentatively, not sure if she wanted to know the answer. Squarely, he met her eyes and put the bottle on the floor.

"No. I never compelled you, Rin." He paused. "Why do you ask?" She balked. The answer was difficult to put into words.

"Because… it felt sudden," she said slowly, looking away. He cocked his head at her.

"What felt sudden?" She took another long drink from the bottle and put it down, looking at the floor as she answered.

"I don't know. This. When did we get close? When did I start trusting you? It felt sudden," she repeated, running her finger along the label on the bottle. "I mean how would I know if you'd compelled me?" He frowned at her.

"You'd know."

"You could compel me to forget." His frown morphed into a glare and he leaned toward her, snatching the bottle up from the floor.

"I wouldn't compel you because there is no satisfaction in compelling someone to do something you want them to do on their own." Rin pondered this, meeting his glare with contemplative eyes.

"You're not as power-hungry as I imagined, then," she said evenly. He smirked.

"Or maybe I'm more power-hungry than you imagined. I don't want to be a puppeteer. There's a certain novelty in being feared and genuinely admired." She returned his smirk.

"Alright, fine. I believe you. But if you did compel me, what would you have me do?" she asked innocently, taking a sip from the blood bag as she maintained eye contact. He raised a brow at her, leaning back again.

"Don't do that," he said, his smirk splitting into a smile as he looked away. He quickly pushed the answer to her question out of his mind, knowing there was no way he could tell her.

"Do what?"

"You know what you're doing, love." There was something playful in his tone that made her heart skip a beat. "You're drunk."

"It's just a question," she said, still with the mask of innocence floating over her voice. He was about to reply when her eyes widened and she gasped comically. "Klaus! What were _you_ thinking?" She feigned horror, eyeing him. Another small laugh escaped his lips as he watched her, taking another sip. The chardonnay was almost gone. "Really, though. Compel me. I want to know what it feels like," she said. Surprised, he realized that she'd only ever been compelled once. His heart sank slightly; he'd lied earlier. Sighing, he decided there was no harm in telling her now.

"Rin, I'd forgotten. I'd compelled you last year outside Provocateur to make you forget that I'd asked you how you…" he trailed off, not sure how to continue. Bringing up the man who'd attacked her felt a little personal, somehow. "Sorry." He looked up at her. A slight frown had formed on her face, as if she didn't know how to react.

"That explains a lot, actually." There was a pause as he nodded solemnly, finishing off the Chardonnay.

"Your turn to pick the bottle," he said, changing the subject. She nodded and slowly teetered to her feet, making her way to a bottle of absinthe she'd been eyeing. When she pulled it from the rack, Klaus raised a brow.

"Feeling adventurous?" he asked as she slowly made her way back to where he was sitting. Grinning as she poured herself a glass, she took a sip of the green liquid before answering.

"Extremely. So you were going to compel me," she said, bringing them back to the topic at hand. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't want you to do anything," he said simply. She was very drunk, and he didn't feel good about the absinthe right now either. Nevertheless, he poured himself a glass and took a sip as well, knowing full well the hallucinogenic effects would be minimal. It was an old bottle, but vampires didn't fall victim to tiny amounts of wormwood or the questionable substances used to color the notorious drink.

"Ugh! Klaus! You're so boring!" cried Rin, leaning violently against the rack. They both tensed a little when it shook slightly. "Sorry," she added, wincing. He smiled a little. When she was drunk and angry, it was difficult to take her seriously. He scooted closer to her, sitting between her legs, and met her eyes.

"Fine. Kiss me," he said. Rin couldn't process the amount of time that passed between hearing his words and feeling herself lean toward him. Her mind threw up an alert that she wasn't in control, but before she knew it she was on top of him. A moment later, she felt him pushing her away.

"Stop," he said, breathless. That had gotten out of hand. "That's what it feels like." He cleared his throat, leaning back a little. "But I probably have the strongest compulsion in the world other than maybe my elder brother's, so with others' it's not so… compelling," he added.

"I couldn't even think about resisting," she said, thinking aloud. "Weird." He smirked.

"Is your curiosity satisfied?" he asked. Though he'd never admit it, it felt a bit wrong to compel her.

"It's kinda hot, to be honest," she said, eyeing him over her glass as she took another sip. He raised a brow at her. There was a pause before he spoke.

"You know, it's just occurred to me that you're a bit submissive," he said, adding blood to his absinthe.

"I am not. Really, I'm not," she said, slightly annoyed. This was the first time she'd ever found being controlled to be attractive. It wasn't a trend. He took another sip and looked up at her again.

"Well, we've already established that you're a bit of a masochist, what with enjoying being afraid of me, so why can't we consider you submissive as well? They go hand in hand, after all," he teased, sipping slowly. It didn't feel wrong to compel her if she _enjoyed_ it.

"Because I'm not submissive. I'd know if I was," she argued. "I've never been into that. I'm a control freak."

"Then try to control me," he said. Before she could respond, he compelled her again. "Try to stop me." In moments, he had pulled her into a deep kiss. She whimpered as her hands acted on their own, pushing futilely against his chest. Seconds later, he had dipped into the bend of her neck, his fangs piercing her skin. Once again, she struggled against him, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Stop," she said, the word coming out on a groan. He smirked as he took several gulps – her blood tasted distinctly of alcohol and she was failing miserably at proving her point. Meeting her eyes again, he asked her a question loaded with compulsion.

"Answer honestly; do you enjoy fearing me? Do you hate having to push me away?" Eyes wide and lips slightly parted, she couldn't believe it when she found herself answering.

"Yes," she hissed, glaring at him furiously. Satisfied, he slowly leaned back and flashed an amused smile at her, licking her blood from his lips.

"I suppose that settles that," he said. Hating herself for enjoying the thrill of his control, she took another swig of the absinthe and continued glaring ferociously.

"Now you owe me," she said evenly.

"What do I owe you?" he asked, genuinely curious. Without a word, she used her finger to gesture for him to come closer. As soon as he was close enough, she pulled on his hand and held his wrist over her glass, leaning down to use her teeth to cut it open. Klaus winced and watched, surprised, as she let him bleed into her glass instead of drinking directly from the vein. As soon as his wrist healed up, she brought the glass to her lips and drank.

"There, now we're even," she said, flashing a cold smile at him. Still sitting close to her, he smirked as she drank his blood from a glass. Even though she couldn't compel him, Rin held a degree of pride and control above him that never failed to impress.

"Upset that the truth about your sexual deviancy's been exposed?" He asked, still smirking.

"No, since I'm drinking your blood out of a glass. You're deriving absolutely no pleasure from this, so we're even." It barely made sense. Klaus had to remind himself that she was still drunk. And, surprisingly, so was he.

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm drinking it out of a glass!" she said indignantly, taking another sip. He laughed, taking a drink from his own glass. He doubted if she'd ever been this drunk as a human. The amount of alcohol they'd consumed tonight would have been fatal to her a week ago. A few moments passed in silence as Klaus pondered this and Rin happily hovered in her drunken haze. It occurred to her that Klaus was probably much less drunk than she, but that was alright. Somehow, she knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. To her surprise, she trusted him. In the back of her mind, she couldn't forget the way he'd so ruthlessly attacked Seth earlier that night in her defense. His dangerous side was no longer a threat to her.

When she was done with the absinthe, she set the glass aside and curled onto her side, resting her head on her arm. With a whimsical smile, she watched as he did the same, facing her.

"Tired?" he asked. It felt ridiculous to be lying on the floor, but it was worth it for the intoxicated grin she was giving him.

"No. Maybe a little," she said. Idly, she thought that it must be morning now, and her 'tiredness' was more of a drunken laziness. "Are you tired?"

"Evil never sleeps," he replied sarcastically. To Rin, his voice sounded slow, his English accent exaggerated. She laughed and rolled onto her back, one hand on her stomach.

"Sorry. I don't know why I'm laughing," she said as she calmed herself. He scooted closer to her and lay on his side, looking down at her as he pushed a tendril of black hair away from her face.

"Probably because I'm so riveting and hilarious," he said matter-of-factly. Her face broke into another grin – a genuine, toothy, wide smile that left no room for anything but unadulterated bliss. It was then that Klaus realized how guarded she was when sober. He'd never seen a smile like that on her face before. And here she was now, laughing wholeheartedly at absolutely nothing.

"Why do you hide so much, Rin?" The question left his lips before he could think of stopping himself. As she pondered this, she took a deep, slow breath and looked up at him, as if searching for the answer somewhere in his gaze.

"I don't know," she said, the words rushing out of her mouth as if they needed to escape. "Because I have a complex." In this single statement he noticed a distinct, resolute clarity.

"What kind of complex?" he mumbled, absentmindedly stroking her hair.

"Like a victim complex. I never want to be a victim, you know?" She was looking at the ceiling, as if realizing this for the first time herself. "What about you? Why do you hide so much?" The question took Klaus off-guard. He frowned, sighing.

"For the same reason, maybe," he said, rolling onto his back. The cellar was dimly-lit, and the lamp across the room was casting strange shadows onto the ceiling as its light penetrated the numerous rows of wine racks.

"So you don't trust anyone." She didn't mean anything specific by it, she only stated it as a fact.

"I might trust someone." There was another silent moment as he listened to the two of them breathing.

"Did you mean it earlier?" she asked tentatively. Maybe it was the alcohol, but he thought her voice was echoing in the dark, and if the question hadn't ended on a quiet exhale he was sure it would have gone on forever.

"What do you mean?"

"In the car." He wasn't sure if he was listening to her heartbeat spike or his own.

"I meant it more than anything else I've told you," he said evenly. There was a haze in the room that made him calm, and the words came out easily. "Why?" he glanced over at her only to find that she was watching him intently, black eyes suddenly fixed on his own.

"I think I trust you." It didn't really answer his question, but it was more than enough for him. He never expected her to return his feelings, but her trust was something he'd never asked for and it was worth just as much as her love. She noticed the look on his face – it was as if he'd been brought to his knees, or witnessed something breathtakingly beautiful he would never see again. She'd never forget the raw amazement she saw in his eyes.

It was unclear to them whether he'd pulled her over or she'd come closer to him on her own to rest her head on his chest. With his fingers tangled in her silken hair, the two of them drifted into blissful sleep.


	45. You Chose Me

**Part Forty-five: You Chose Me**

When the chime of the doorbell echoed through the foyer, an eager Rebekah leapt to her feet to open the door within moments. On the doorstep stood Matt, Elena, Damon, and Stefan.

"Hello," said Rebekah, breathless. Klaus and Rin had been passed out in the cellar all morning, but that certainly wasn't going to stop her from making plans. She and Matt had been texting on and off for a while now, and they'd decided it was time to have drinks after all the misery the bunch had endured in the past year. They'd called it a group therapy session in their texts. She stepped aside to let everyone in.

"Hey, Rebekah," said Elena cheerfully. She received a quiet nod from Stefan and a quick greeting from Damon but it was Matt's reaction she was looking for. Matt – her ideal human love. She'd spent a solid hour picking her outfit and getting ready today: a casual blue summer dress, with her hair carefully straightened. He did a quick double take before clearing his throat and offering her the bottle wrapped in brown paper he'd brought along.

"Hi…" he said slowly, the word trailing off a little. She really did look stunning. With a warm smile, she accepted the gift and directed everyone into the formal sitting room where she'd already prepared several glasses, napkins, and limes.

"Hi, Matt," she replied quietly, looking away a little too soon. There was just something about him. Not wanting to make things awkward, she gestured toward the sofas. "Welcome, everyone. Have a seat." As she began pouring glasses, she spoke over her shoulder. "So how has everyone been?"

"Rin and Klaus aren't here?" asked Damon abruptly. Rebekah froze. She'd completely forgotten about that little love triangle. Horrified, she tried to cover up her surprise by offering him a glass of wine, which he promptly finished.

"Oh, they're around. I think they might still be sleeping," she said casually. "Would you like another?"

"Got anything stronger?" he asked, wincing a little at the wine. A perpetual drunk simply couldn't be satisfied with wine.

"I can go look in the cellar if you like—" started Rebekah quickly, amazed that this could go so wrongly. There was no way he was going to be allowed in the cellar.

"I think I'll go look myself, thanks." In seconds, he was on his feet. "I'll bring back a treat. On Klaus," he said with a flourish. Instantly, Rebekah stood up as well.

"No, really, I'll go do that for you. You're the guest, after all." She was sure the others could see how frantic she was becoming. She'd tuned out of Klaus and Rin's conversation last night when it had started getting physical, so she had no way of knowing how far they'd gone. What if they weren't clothed? She had to get downstairs and warn them, now. The others watched this bizarre exchange, wondering what was in the cellar that needed to be kept a secret.

With his usual lack of tact, Damon was already on his way into the main part of the house and the cellar stairwell.

"Don't worry about it, Blondie," he called over his shoulder. Stiff and at a complete loss, Rebekah could only reclaim her seat and wait for the meltdown.

As if on cue, Kol appeared before them.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded, equally horrified. There was a moment of silence as Rebekah paled. Finally, Elena spoke up.

"Alright, what's going on here? Is there something in the cellar we're not supposed to know about?" Despite the attempts at peacemaking between the Mikaelsons and the rest of the bunch, there was still a considerable amount of suspicion among both parties. Both Kol and Rebekah turned to Elena and watched as she poured drinks for herself and Stefan. "Well?" She leaned back and crossed her legs as she sipped on the glass. Rebekah was a bit impressed – she was resembling Katherine more and more every day.

It was Kol who answered her.

"Klaus and Rin are downstairs," he said evenly, waiting for his words to sink in.

"Klaus and Rin?" asked Stefan, prompting some clarification.

"Yes. Together," added Kol.

"Wait, what?" asked Matt, trying desperately to wrap his mind around this. "They're…" He trailed off, a little disgusted. "She's with Damon."

"Excuse me?" asked Elena, raising a brow. "Okay, we're all missing things here. Rin's playing them both?" Rebekah flashed a cold smile.

"Not everyone works like you do, Elena. She was never officially with Damon. I think she genuinely likes Klaus," she said matter-of-factly.

"Damon has a thing for her," said Stefan, mostly to see Elena's reaction. At first, she rolled her eyes, but when she realized what was happening, she froze.

"They're all downstairs," she said gravely, suddenly understanding what was about to happen. Silently, everyone in the room awaited the inevitable chaos.

Klaus hadn't slept like this in decades. Neither the doorbell, nor the footsteps upstairs, nor the sound of Damon pulling bottles from the racks and replacing them could wake him. Damon, meanwhile, was slowly and unknowingly making his way closer and closer to the two racks between which Rin and Klaus lay. Since they were arranged like bookshelves, he couldn't see through them, and he wasn't quite listening for a heartbeat. He did notice, however, that it smelled distinctly like Rin down in the cellar. But what was that other scent?

It wasn't until he was just two racks away when he realized that she was there. He could hear her heartbeat before him. But there was another one – there were two people here. Suspicion rose in him as he slowly made his way around the corner, not sure if he wanted to know what he would find.

Just as he suspected, there was Rin, fast asleep. The first thing he noticed was her hair – it was still black. The second thing he noticed was the fact that she was curled up on none other than Klaus Mikaelson, the psychotic murderer who had made them all miserable for far too long. The next few things he realized felt like a blur. There were empty bottles and blood bags all around them, scattered on the floor. She'd wanted to stay here.

Instantly, he felt like vomiting. This had happened so many times. First Katherine, then Elena, and now Rin. Not to mention Rose, who had died. Was it him? Was this just how it was meant to be for him? Would he never get the girl? Apparently, it was too much to ask.

He contemplated turning around and leaving. He could go upstairs and get monumentally wasted and try to forget all this. But it was against his nature – he had to let her know that he knew.

"Well, would you look at that," he said. The voice felt like a sledgehammer to both of them, alerting their instincts that someone was close by. Rin, assuming she was dreaming, squeezed her eyes shut and pressed herself closer to Klaus, hoping to stay asleep just a little bit longer. Picking up on the voice and her movement himself, he slowly opened his eyes and took a deep breath. As soon as he realized it was Damon before him, he began struggling to fight back a self-satisfied grin.

"Hello, Damon," he said, yawning a little and sitting up. As he moved, Rin had to support herself on her elbow and furiously rub at her eyes in an effort to wake up. She imagined her makeup horrendously smeared as she peered through the dimly-lit cellar to find that yes, it was, in fact, Damon before them. Instantly, she was wide awake.

"Oh my god," she said, eyes widening. No. This couldn't be happening. There was no way…

"Can't say I'm surprised, Rin," spat Damon, staring down at her with a perfectly level expression. He wasn't about to let her know how upset he was – the idea was to let her know she'd been caught, not that she'd hurt him.

"Damon, it's not—" She balked. _It's not what you think it is. _The sentence couldn't leave her lips. Her mind jumped to Klaus, who had raised a brow and was looking at her intently. She couldn't help but be reminded of the night before, when she'd been so sure he wouldn't give up the Chalice. Was he feeling that same anticipation of betrayal now?

"It's not what? It's not what I think it is?" Damon paused, fuming. "Why didn't your hair turn color?" he asked evenly, changing the subject. "Why are there like fifteen empty blood bags on the floor, huh? Unless I missed the part where you went from not drinking a lot to drinking _blood_ and _way too much booze_ for a human, then there's something _else_ you're not telling me." His voice had slowly risen, and upstairs the rest of them were quietly listening as they got a head start on the drinking. The fact that she was a vampire now was news to Elena, Matt, and Stefan, but none of them said anything for now. They all had a feeling they would get the full story eventually.

"You didn't tell him," said Klaus with a slight chuckle. Upstairs, everyone rolled their eyes. As usual, Klaus was an absolute jerk. "You didn't tell him you're a vampire!" She couldn't look at either of them, but she was sure Klaus' eyes were lighting up. Finding out just how much she was betraying Damon was probably very exciting for him. "I mean, sorry mate, but to her credit this is all fairly recent. It's only been a little over a month since I kissed you, right, Rin?"

"A month," repeated Damon somberly.

"Right, that night at the Giorango? Did you join us that day, Damon? I can barely remember," said Klaus cheerfully as he ran a hand through his hair. For him, this was absolutely wonderful. There was nothing like knowing he'd stolen a Salvatore's girl. Except, perhaps, knowing that girl happened to be Rin.

Throughout this horrific exchange, Rin was silent, staring at the floor as Klaus basically mocked Damon for his failure to see this coming.

"He's trying to kill you!" said Damon, raising his voice again. "Did you forget the master plan? Is this why you wanted to move in with him in the first place? I thought this was a mission, not a chance to hook up with Klaus." There was noticeable disgust in the way he spat out the Original's name.

"He gave that up," said Rin quietly. Klaus knew her well enough to know she was feeling ashamed, but he noticed the way she still sat up straight, with her shoulders pushed back and her hair cascading gently over them. Even in shame, she maintained her dignity. He wondered absently if this was what Damon liked about her too – was it the fact that she carried herself like a queen? Because that was one of his favorite things about her. And now she was all but his, free from Damon.

"So you screw him? Yeah, makes sense," said Damon, glaring at her. "That's fucking pathetic, you know that?" Klaus had to resist the urge to punch him for insulting her, knowing she would handle this on her own.

"We didn't…" She sighed exasperatedly, running a hand through her hair as she rose to her feet. Klaus leaned against the rack behind him, watching them like a television show. "Damon, I'm sorry. It's more complicated than you think, and we can talk about it later—"

"We've been talking every day and you never even told me you were a vampire. Trust me, you're the last person I want to talk to," he said, disgusted. Upstairs, both Elena and Stefan could hear the familiar disappointment in his voice. This always happened to him.

With that, he stormed back upstairs and out the door, ignoring everyone in the sitting room on his way out. Stunned but also thankful that that particular altercation was over, Rin shifted her weight to one side and sighed deeply, looking at the ceiling as she crossed her arms. Klaus stood, approaching her slowly and suddenly cognizant of the fact that he had no idea what to do.

"Rin…" he started. She didn't reply. "I don't know what to say."

"You didn't have to be such a dick," she said coldly, turning to glare at him. She hadn't had time to understand what was going on. She'd woken up in Klaus' arms, and though she remembered the night before it felt like a dream. She remembered connecting with him and feeling safe with him, but that didn't make a lot of sense. Was it the booze? As she looked down at her nightdress, she tried to ignore what she knew to be true – it definitely wasn't the alcohol. Even now, she was upset with him but she felt safe and glad that he was around.

There was the car ride, when he'd confessed his love for her, and the attic, which she'd finally made her way into. There was Seth, who he'd all but tortured on her behalf. And then he'd tried to comfort her – albeit with alcohol – when she discovered she'd killed someone. It had been an eventful night. Vaguely, she remembered a conversation about compulsion in which she'd expressed how sudden it all felt. That feeling was crashing back to her. The suddenness of it all was really a lot to take in.

"You don't care about him at all," he said, as if in defense of his rudeness.

"That doesn't mean you can kick him when he's down. I know how to break a heart; I don't need your help," she said evenly. Klaus didn't miss her failure to disagree – so she really didn't care about him at all.

"Well at least he's gone now for good." Rin sighed again, turning back to the wine bottles.

"Yeah, there's that," she said. Once again, he was surprised. All her sincerity and guilt were more or less superficial. She didn't care that Damon was essentially gone forever. And once again, he realized what a perfect match they were, at least in his mind.

"You're really not as nice as you pretend to be," he pointed out, raising a brow at her. She whipped around, smirking slightly.

"You're really not as terrible as you pretend to be," she countered. He returned her smirk, looking into her eyes for a moment before speaking.

"You know what's interesting?" he asked, his eyes dipping down to her chemise momentarily.

"The fact that you just shamelessly checked me out _again_?" replied Rin with a brow raised.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, innocently cocking his head at her. "I was referring to the fact that between Damon Salvatore and I, the maniacal homicidal lunatic," – he said this last bit with distinct sarcasm – "You chose me." She rolled her eyes at him, leaning against the rack behind her.

"Don't flatter yourself. I haven't chosen anyone." He smiled and put a hand to his heart, as if trying to contain a wound.

"Such hostility!" he joked, remembering suddenly that she wasn't so easy. Laughing slightly, she pushed past him and made her way up the back stairwell to his bedroom, where she could safely escape to Kol's bathroom for a well-needed shower without being seen by the guests, who she was sure were listening. But before she could exit into the hallway, she found herself held in place by Klaus' hands on her waist.

"Rin." She looked up at him, lips parted in surprise. They both felt their electric connection buzz back to life in their eye contact. Instantly, the mood between them changed from playful to serious. "I love you."

She didn't know how to respond. Her first instinct was to repeat his words back to him, but they were caught in her throat. It felt like putting her neck on the line, and she could not yet manage this sort of emotional exposure. Her mind leaped back to waking up in his arms and the gravity of the situation hit her again – how had that happened? He noticed her confusion and wondered if it was because she truly didn't care for him or if she simply couldn't say she did. Or maybe she didn't know.

After a lingering gaze, she looked down at the floor and slowly turned around, opening the door. Once again, he reminded himself that he couldn't expect her to say it back. It had just felt appropriate to remind her that he cared, after she'd so mercilessly broken Damon's heart because of him. However, that didn't change the fact that she still drove him mad with her indecision.

Downstairs, what was supposed to be an afternoon of enjoyment and drunkenness had turned into a viewing of a real-life soap opera with some drinks involved. Matt, who possessed no vampiric hearing, had Rebekah to whisper clarification to him every time the group was shocked at a new twist. So Klaus had not only surrendered the Chalice himself, but he seemed to be genuine in his love for Rin. And from what it looked like, she didn't return his feelings. Aside from that, she had proven herself to be far more heartless than they'd expected, what with barely caring about Damon's heartbreak.

"They're a match made in heaven," scoffed Matt. They were all a little disgusted at the potential for Klaus' happiness sometime in the near future.

"I'm a little surprised that they didn't have sex," pondered Rebekah. She was met with pained looks as everyone but Kol pushed away the image of their least favorite hybrid getting it on. Both Rebekah and Kol were used to closely following his exploits, whether sexual, romantic, or financial. After a thousand years, it was nothing more than a game for them.

"They got close the other day," said Kol, completely oblivious to the fact that no one but Rebekah was interested in their brother's sex life. He was referring to the day Klaus had given her the Daylight Ring. "Kol! Please," said Elena, downing another shot.

"Just want him happy!" he replied cheerfully, pouring himself another drink.


	46. Louder

**AN: Oh my god, finally their relationship is getting more or less established. It only took 46 chapters. My thanks go out to RealHuntress18 and my other faithful reviewers, and I sincerely hope you guys like the next few chapters because… let's just say sh*t is about to get **_**real**_**.**

**Enjoy! Reviews are welcome with open arms!**

**Part Forty-six: Louder**

Days went by. They stretched on and soon enough it had been two weeks since the incident in the cellar. Throughout those two weeks, Rin's phone had been conspicuously silent, devoid of any correspondence from Damon. She didn't mind so much, but it left her nothing to pass the time with. Perhaps that would not have been so if she and Klaus weren't back on one of their silent stints. Once again, they spoke only in passing. It seemed as if every time they reached a milestone in their mutual-hatred-turned-friendship-turned-almost-roma nce they had to take time away from each other for the sake of their pride, neither of them willing to admit any further feelings or attempt to make sense of what had happened. It was a game of cat and mouse with two mice and not one cat, each waiting for the other to solve the problem.

Though Rin had to admit – she'd been the more cowardly of the two. Klaus had made his feelings clear. She was the one who continuously pushed him away. Aside from that, he'd always been the one to keep tabs on her in the past, or to bend to her will when she wanted to go out or have drinks. Not once had she really reached out to him for peacemaking. This was why she decided, finally, to take the first step and approach him.

He was in the attic, of course, throwing darts. Through the door, she could hear them piercing the surface of the target on the wall. From the sound of it, he didn't miss a single shot. After a few moments of hesitation, she knocked quietly. The rhythmic beats of the darts hitting the board came to a halt.

"Yes?" he asked, probably assuming it was Rebekah or Kol. After all, approaching him _was_ relatively uncharacteristic of her.

"It's me," she said, sighing. The door opened instantly.

"Thought you had a key," said Klaus, sneering down at her. She rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

"Excuse me for exercising some courtesy." She took a seat on the window sill, eyeing the piles of clothes and various books left open on every discernable surface. So he was truly messy, but studious as well. She could live with that. "I'm sick of this," she stated. He raised a brow.

"What is Her Majesty sick of?" he asked, pacing toward the window. He stopped a few feet in front of her and looked out into the setting sun. She ignored his sarcasm and continued.

"Silence. Is there a reason why we aren't speaking?" she asked pointedly. Without a word, he continued staring out the window. When he didn't answer, she spoke again. "Well?"

"You tell me," he said, shifting his gaze toward her. Recently, she'd noticed something soft in his eyes when he looked at her. It wasn't like the harsh, hungry stare he gave her in the early days, when she'd been caught seeing Damon or when she'd provoked him in her bedroom. It was more wide-eyed, almost gentle in a way. Now, he spoke with the usual edge to his voice but he couldn't pull that tender look from his face.

She sighed again, leaning her head back against the window.

"I don't know." She hated that phrase. In passing, casually, it didn't feel so… potent. But when she really didn't know the answer to something, the sound of her own voice admitting it made her wince. "We're not very mature people," she added, feeling the need to add something. It was true, anyway. At least in this situation.

To her surprise, he actually laughed a little, smiling at her.

"Are we speaking to each other again, then?" he asked, taking a step toward her. She tossed her hair over her shoulder before answering.

"I guess so," she said, offering her usual guarded smirk.

"And we can go back to drinking ourselves into a stupor in the cellar?" Her smirk widened slightly.

"Yes, sometime."

"And you'll be my girlfriend, officially?"

"Ye—what?" For the moment, his expression flickered back to the cold hunger she was so used to. Lessening the space between them, he put his hands on either side of her on the sill.

"You'll be my girlfriend. Officially." It wasn't a question this time. She gaped at him, her lips slightly separated. Last time she was in the attic, she'd only been half-serious with her 'boyfriend' remark. Apparently, he'd caught on that it was not yet a done deal.

"Klaus…"

She bristled slightly at the sound of his fists slamming the sill beneath her. Instantly, he turned away, pacing to the other side of the room. "Klaus?" she repeated quietly, torn. Their actual 'relationship status' had obviously been on his mind, and all the time she'd spent avoiding thinking about it he'd probably dedicated to its possibilities.

When he turned around, the soft look was back, surprisingly. He wasn't angry. He didn't have a right to be angry, and he knew it. If he had been, he'd be no better than Damon.

"Yes, Rin?" But once again, his voice was cold. Monotonous. Under his stare, she realized she had nothing to say. In moments, her hand was on the doorknob.

"Never mind," she said over her shoulder before disappearing into the stairwell.

Behind her, she heard a dart violently pierce straight through the board and into the wall.

The plan was to go back to Kol's tower and hide out there, texting Breezy and reading for the rest of the evening. But another door was before her now, somehow drawing her attention. It was Klaus' room, where she'd slept for her first few nights here. Gingerly, she opened the door, not sure if it could be considered an intrusion since the original plan was for her to stay here permanently. Either way, he lived in the attic, right?

As usual, it was pristine. The bed was neatly made and all the books were where they belonged. But there was one thing out of order – on the bedside table was a black comb, one of hers. She reached out to pick it up, wondering why Klaus hadn't returned it to her. Was he expecting her to come back? Was it left here as a reminder that she was still welcome?

Though aware that she was probably being overly imaginative, she curled up on the bed anyway. As soon as the sun set, she was zoned out enough to attain a level of almost-sleep.

Several hours later, Klaus was scouring the attic for his copy of _The Picture of Dorian Gray._ Realizing suddenly that it had been left in his bedroom, he trotted down the stairs and whipped open the door. There, barely forming a lump underneath the massive, down comforter, was Rin, evidently fast asleep. His breath hitched. Slowly, he approached her, peering down at her sleeping form. Both her breathing and heart rate were steady. But what was she doing down here?

Cautiously so as not to wake her, he paced across the room and entered the hallway. Kol was in his own bedroom. In moments, he had joined his brother.

"Why is Rin in my room?" he demanded, assuming Kol had done something. Kol looked up from his Rubick's cube and shot his brother a questioning look.

"Hell if I know," he murmured, returning to the cube. He had mixed feelings about Klaus and Rin's relationship. On the bright side, Klaus would be thrilled if it worked out. On the less bright side, he couldn't see it going well for Rin. No one could tolerate Klaus for very long. Such a strikingly dignified and level-headed woman shouldn't be bound to his psychotic brother. She was the perfect balance of merciless and forgiving – something Klaus would never attain.

Despite Kol's distraction, Klaus could see that he was telling the truth. It was depressingly underwhelming. Klaus had been hoping for some nuclear meltdown between the two that would keep Kol away from her for the rest of eternity. He stalked back into the hallway and slammed the tower door behind him, just for good measure. Kol rolled his eyes.

Back in his bedroom, Klaus approached the sleeping girl once more. For several minutes, he couldn't resist standing at her side, listening to her quiet, steady breaths. After that began to feel too creepy on his part, he reached out and gave her a slight shove, leaning down a little. Perhaps she didn't know where she'd fallen asleep. Letting her know where she was seemed like the right thing to do.

"Rin." She didn't stir. "Rin," he repeated, louder this time. She sighed and mumbled a response, turning away from him. Losing his patience, he rolled his eyes and stood up straight again, ready to retreat into the attic once again. The memory of her blatant rejection earlier that evening was still fresh in his mind, and he decided there was no point in exercising any extra kindness at the moment. After a single step, however, he felt gentle pressure around his wrist. Sighing, he contemplating wrenching his hand away, but the word that escaped her lips melted the hostility he was feeling toward her.

"Stay."

It was startlingly reminiscent of the night he'd first kissed her.

He squeezed his eyes shut, suddenly loathing the effect she had on him. The strongest being in the world, the _Original Hybrid_, lived at the whim of this eighteen-year-old girl, who could command him around in her sleep with complete success. Knowing it was preposterous to attempt to deny her, he slowly turned around and crouched at the edge of the bed, his face an inch from hers.

"_Why?"_ he hissed. Her eyes were just now beginning to flutter open. When she saw him so close to her, she immediately sat up straight and recoiled, pulling the blanket around her defensively. Horrified, she drew in a deep breath before speaking, suddenly remembering what she'd just said to him.

"What?"

A hairsbreadth from driving his fist into the drywall, Klaus' jaw stiffened as his gaze floated to the ceiling, as if silently asking God for the patience to deal with this woman.

"You told me to stay!" he shouted. Rin glared at him. "That is the _second_ time you've told me to stay!" Silently, she got out of bed and straightened her t-shirt.

"Sorry. Wrong room. I got tired," she said simply before making for the door. Before she could get close, however, Klaus had her by the arm in a death grip.

"You're not walking out on me again." Over her shoulder, she shot him a look.

"You're hurting me," she said quietly. A tense moment passed before he released her, only to shove her into the wall, pressing her hands against the surface near her head.

"I think you can take it," he said, fervently kissing her before intentionally biting into her lip. She let out nothing short of a stifled scream, whimpering as he drank from her.

In the tower, Kol winced at the cube. This had to be some kind of abuse.

Klaus' pressure on her hands lessened slowly until they dropped from the wall altogether, leaving her free to shove against his chest. It was to no avail, however, as he held her tightly by the waist, using his body as leverage to keep her in place. When he finally released her from the violent kiss, her lip ached as she spoke.

"What the hell?!" Thankfully, it healed up in seconds, just in time to feel his mouth on her neck. Instinctively, she bared her throat to him, forgetting to fight him off. His head dipped dangerously low, kisses placed skillfully at the edge of her v-neck. Her fingers seemed to tangle themselves in his hair as she slammed her head against the wall in frustration. "Goddammit! Stop!"

Reluctantly, he did, but only to slowly meet her gaze. The searing hunger was back in his eyes, and she recognized compulsion far too late to attempt to resist it. His command came out in a growl.

"Say my name." It escaped her lips on her next exhale.

"Niklaus..."

"Again."

"Niklaus."

"Louder!"

"Niklaus-!" she sobbed, only to be silenced by his lips on hers once more. No, she couldn't take this anymore. Their power struggle was evident when they became physical, not just when they argued. With his guard down, she shoved harder against his chest and slammed him into the wall in her place, glaring up at him.

"_Fuck you,"_ she spat before delivering a lightning-fast punch to his ribcage. Bottom three ribs on his left snapped like toothpicks, he let out a grunt and doubled over onto her. Releasing him, she let him lean against the wall in pain as she finally made her way to the door. Before she could leave, his raspy voice floated through the darkness.

"When and where, love?" Struggling to contain herself, she quickly escaped into the hallway and stalked down into the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass of blood and brandy.

Sighing deeply, she leaned against the counter and closed her eyes in an effort to clear her head. This sexual tension was really not doing her any good. She shouldn't appreciate his spontaneous (and often physically damaging) advances. There was no way he'd missed that desirous look on her face, which she tried so hard to erase by banging her skull into the wall. It hadn't worked. Even now, the blood wasn't enough to wash away her lust.

She squeezed her eyes more tightly closed as she recalled what she'd said to him. She'd asked him to stay – it had been unconscious. Basically a reflex. He'd said it had been the second time. Suddenly, she couldn't doubt what he'd said about the night he'd kissed her anymore. Maybe she actually had asked him to stay.

Oh, God. She'd been sending him mixed signals all this time. The kisses, asking him to stay in bed with her, sharing drinks… She'd been getting his hopes up.

And at the same time, she'd been getting her own hopes up. She welcomed and enjoyed his unpredictable aggression. And unlike her, even if it was just because he couldn't control himself, he'd actually delivered what she wanted. He'd told her he loved her, and ripped her from her senses physically.

Idly, she recalled what she'd told Damon so long ago. She wouldn't be with someone unless she owned their soul.

Well, she'd certainly won over the Original Hybrid's.


	47. Officially

**Part Forty-seven: Officially**

Once again, several days passed with no word between the two of them. No word, however, did not equate to no communication. In passing, Klaus would shoot her suggestive smiles, or intimidating stares that made her feel like a bug under a microscope. She always responded with the same icy grin, unsure of how else to react. Her realization from the other night came to the front of her mind whenever she saw him now, and it was getting impossible to ignore the bizarre chemistry between them. It was palpable, with both Rebekah and Kol noticing the tension between the two. Mercifully, neither of them said anything. Rin wasn't sure how she could explain the situation to either one.

After a week, she couldn't take it anymore. Something had to be done about this. It was probably a good time to move out, considering living here was getting to be more dangerous to her ego than Seth was to her life. It was around two-thirty AM when she took a deep breath before the attic door before barging in on Klaus, dressed in his usual black jeans and nothing more. Faint sounds of Thirty Seconds to Mars emanated through the room. For a thousand-year-old vampire, Klaus had remarkably angst-ridden taste.

It was in that moment that Rin knew what she had to do. The moment when he looked over at her, shocked, and somewhat peeved that she'd come in with no warning. After their brief eye contact, he slammed his book down on the bed and sat up abruptly from his reclining position.

"Do _not_—" She assumed he was going to chide her for failing to knock, ironically, before she wrapped one hand around his neck to pull him close to her, placing the other one on the edge of the four-poster. Leaning over him, she drew a groan from his mouth as she kissed him, his hand floating gingerly up to her waist. With their lips still pressed together, she pushed him slowly until he was on his back, hands running over her slender back. Through the thin white fabric of her t-shirt, he could feel the warmth of her skin like a furnace.

The second she broke the kiss, however, was perhaps the most defining moment of his thousand-year-old existence.

"I love you," she breathed, head swimming from the confusion she'd caused herself. She'd come up here to tell him she was moving out, not that she… Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she kissed him once more and then pulled back to take in the look on his face. It was the same one he'd had when she told him she trusted him – completely amazed. Hypnotized, maybe.

Briefly, she saw his lips perhaps begin to crack into a smile before he tumbled over her and pressed her onto her back for a blazingly tense kiss. Her thoughts blurred under its intensity until he pulled away.

"Officially, then," he said, cocky as ever. There was a new glint to his usual self-satisfied smirk. His eyes explored her face, as if taking in her sloping features and ink-black eyes for the first time. Instinctively, she returned his smirk.

"Officially," she whispered, feeling as if she were surrendering. It was terrifying, but it came with a great relief and a sense of giddiness she knew she wouldn't be able to shake for a long while.

Her entire body buzzed with adrenaline as he leaned down again for another trembling, heated kiss. It was not unlike their first one, at the Giorango. He almost seemed… afraid. He broke away and buried his head in her hair, engulfed suddenly in the scent of her shampoo.

"You crippled me." His voice was a low rumble, muffled slightly by her hair. She stared at the ceiling, holding him close to her. The skin of his bare chest was pressed tight against her arms and the space above her shirt's collar. Heat radiated off him, warming her body. "As long as you live…" He trailed off.

"What?" He lifted his head back up, that compelling, demanding gaze fixed on her own.

"As long as you live, you'll cripple me," he said. The deep, growling notes in his voice tore through her, and she realized how insane this must have been for him. Falling for a human girl who was a tiny fraction of his true age, who should have had no real right over him to begin with. But through some bizarre twist of Nature's whim, she'd earned his respect and love. Or had it been the other way around? There was no way to tell, even for him.

"Well then it's your own fault that you're stuck for a while," she replied, smirking at him again. He flashed another toothy grin and stood, offering her his hand. She took it, and though the contact was slight, it sent a jolt through her body. There was no way he'd been so warm before. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her.

"I wouldn't mind living at your whim forever," he said, cocking his head at her. Though sarcasm coated his tone, she knew he was at least halfway serious. He held her tightly, as if she might disappear if he let go.

"Well I'm sorry to have enslaved the most powerful being in the world," she replied, smiling up at him. "Then again, maybe I'm not." He laughed quietly, resting his chin on her head.

"You never need to apologize to me," he said. This time, he was completely serious. Though it went unspoken, it was quite clear that he was referring to all the horrible things he'd done. All the things he planned to take back with every passing day of having her. "How shall we celebrate?" he asked. There was a moment of pondering.

"I have an idea," said Rin, turning to lead the way downstairs.

Six hours later, the sun was high in the sky and Klaus and Rin were huddled on the couch. The massive projector screen was playing every Audrey Hepburn film in the Mikaelson library, and the two were surrounded in half-full glasses, bottles, and blood bags. Rin had lost her t-shirt during a particularly… distracted… moment during _Charade_ and was in nothing but black skinny jeans and a matching bra beneath the thick fur blanket. Klaus was intently watching the screen as he ran his fingers idly along the side of her waist, unknowingly setting her skin ablaze whenever he got too close to her waistband. When it happened for the fourth or fifth time, she jumped a bit and drew in a sharp breath. He looked down at her questioningly before smirking and repeating the subtle motion.

"Stop that," she said playfully, resisting a grin. They'd been drinking for many hours already, and were both beginning to forget their inhibitions. Slowly, he pulled her closer to him so her back was to his chest, leaving his hands free to roam. Another slow, tantalizing movement of his fingers made her groan quietly and she turned over, leaning over him with a devilish smile. "I _said_, stop that!" With revenge on her mind, she kissed him slowly and grinded against him, drawing a quiet rumble from his throat. The blanket fell behind her, discarded on Klaus' feet at the other end of the couch. He craned his neck up to deepen the kiss and pulled her closer, taking a handful of her hair in his hand.

"Oh."

At the sound of another voice, Rin all but leaped backward and scrambled for the blanket. As she fumbled with trying to get it out from under her, Kol's eyes dipped reflexively to her bare torso and sleek black bra. She barely caught his shocked expression before Klaus rose to his feet and appeared across the room, grabbing his brother in a headlock.

"_Never_ look at her again," he hissed before snapping his head. Rin, now securely wrapped in the blanket, pulled a glass to her lips and took a generous drink, a little stunned. That had been Klaus' _brother._ Her _boyfriend's _brother. Klaus hauled Kol's body into the music room and left him on the floor, and then returned to the couch. "I'll kill him," he said, annoyed.

"It was an accident," she reasoned, though the uneasiness was apparent in her voice.

"An unforgivable accident."

Rin nodded solemnly, and then looked up at him.

"You know, I've never found that type of possession attractive until now," she mused, taking another sip before delicately placing her glass back on the coffee table.

The even stare he fixed on her then was almost intimidating. But she held his gaze, waiting for his reply.

"Because you know you belong with me," he said, pinning her to the back of the couch before straddling her. Once again, the blanket fell between them and he kissed her hungrily, pushing her into the cushions. She ripped the blanket away and arched up against him, all too aware of the layers of clothing between them. Acting solely on her instinct, her hands floated down to his belt where she began fiddling absentmindedly with the buckle. It lasted only a second; as soon as he realized what she was doing he slammed her wrists back against the couch. "You're drunk," he murmured, hating himself suddenly for the morals he lived by when she was around. Never before had he been concerned about something like whether or not a woman was intoxicated. But with Rin, it mattered.

"I don't care," she slurred, pushing herself against him again. His eyes fluttered shut and his head dipped slightly until he could regain his willpower.

"I do," he said, smirking weakly at her. Once again, there was only one craving he could satisfy right now. With far less tact that ever before, he tore into her throat and drank deeply, suddenly lost in the taste of her blood. She gasped and let her head roll back against the couch, feeling herself dip into an even more confusing stupor than before. He was being truly reckless. Suddenly drawing his fangs from her skin, he pulled her from the back rest and pushed her against the softer cushions, pushing himself roughly against her before ripping back into her throat. In the brief moment between bites, she saw how bloody his face had gotten. Her blood. There was something oddly appealing about that, but she was losing energy quickly.

Instantly, she dipped into what she knew – she drew his energy out in droves, pulling it into her mind. The glimmering ecstasy of his life force, combined with his relentless grinding against her and the bliss of being consumed by him were almost too much to handle, and she absently felt her hands losing their grip on his hair.

Finally, Klaus realized what was happening and pulled back, wiping furiously at his lips. She lay beneath him, stunned. "Rin?" he asked. His voice was raspy from the iron slipping down his throat. She didn't reply. "Rin."

"Hm?" she mumbled, turning to look at him. The look in her eyes was nothing short of completely stunned. He brushed her hair from her neck, watching the wound heal. It was truly a disaster.

Before he could say anything else, she reached up to pull him toward her. With _Charade_ coming to a close in the background, the two of them held each other quietly as it slowly became easier and easier to resist ripping at each other and drunkenly consummating their love.

It wasn't until the sun was low in the sky, nearly evening time, when Klaus awoke with a start.

She was gone.


	48. Sleep

**AN: Alright, readers. I've been putting this off long enough. I took a long break from this story to get my new story (for Dragonlance Chronicles; if you're reading this I doubt you're interested xD) on its feet. But I've been neglecting it for far too long! I also wanted to ask, since this story is coming to a close – would you like to read deleted scenes? I wrote some things I ended up cutting out of the story or never used in the first place. Would that be worth publishing in an add-on chapter in the end? Just wondering if anyone is curious, since otherwise those paragraphs will go to waste. **

**Aside from that, I wanted to ask as well if anyone would be interested in seeing my playlist for this story. Each part of the story corresponds with a song or set of songs, all by the same group of artists. Would **_**that**_** be worth publishing? There's quite a bit of behind the scenes stuff with this piece, it seems xD**

**Anyway, at long last, here we go! Enjoy!**

**Part Forty-eight: Sleep**

"Where the hell is she?!" he hissed, jumping off the couch. The air suddenly felt cold. The lights were off, but dim sunlight was streaming in through the window panes and casting a checkerboard of light on the floor. He glanced around at the half-empty glasses and pile of DVDs by the projector. Dread washed over him. She'd just… up and left? Where would she go? Why?

"Dunno." Kol was behind him, rifling through the refrigerator. "Do we still have hummus? I'm thinking of spiking it with rum." He was mumbling, as if distracted. Klaus whipped around, glaring at him.

"You've been awake all day. Where did she go?"

"I told you; I don't know." What made Klaus think that just because he'd been awake, he'd know? He rolled his eyes, moving aside blood bags to hunt for the hummus.

The mudroom door opened suddenly and Rin sauntered in, aviators concealing half her face. "Ah, there she is," said Kol, glancing at her. She didn't acknowledge him. Instead, she tossed a set of keys on the counter and placed a cup of coffee next to them, sipping on her own warm drink.

"I got coffee," she said, raising a brow at Klaus. He looked frazzled. "Something wrong?" Klaus blinked at her before his face morphed into a scowl.

"You got coffee." He glanced at the keys. "In my car." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "You could have _told_ me." She rolled her eyes, scooping up his drink and making her way into the living room, pushing it into his chest.

"Remember when you stole my car? Revenge." She paused to smirk at him. "They just got the Pumpkin Spice Latte in for the season. Try it." Klaus couldn't resist grinning a little, pulling the sunglasses from her face.

"You can take those off in the house, you know," he said, smirking down at her, anger completely dissipated.

"So you can see my pretty eyes?" she said sweetly before taking another sip. She kissed his cheek and turned on her heel, joining Kol by the fridge. "You smell like alcohol, Klaus," she said, laughing over her shoulder. Klaus stared after her, bemused. She seemed… lighthearted. Unusually so.

"How don't you?" he asked, taking another sip of his glass from last night before starting on the coffee.

"She showered in the morning," replied Kol, finally locating the hummus and moving aside for Rin to pull a blood bag from the fridge. Klaus bristled slightly.

"I didn't ask you," he said with a threatening edge to his voice.

"I woke up at like noon," she said casually, brushing off Kol's response to his brother's question. He was right, after all. She noticed Klaus' hostility and chalked it up to residual bitterness from the night before.

Kol put several drops of rum in his hummus and stirred it up before taking it and a bag of chips up the stairs without another word. There was definitely some unusual tension between him and his brother today. Rin mentally rolled her eyes; she was over it. Klaus, however, was possessive. She decided she didn't mind so much and watched as he wandered over to her, leaning against the counter opposite her. Without breaking eye contact, she pulled the keys across the granite surface and pushed them toward him.

"I couldn't resist," she said, smirking. He glanced down at the keys and noticed the Aston Martin emblem. He stared at them for a moment, reflecting her grin. When he looked back up at her, there was something mischievous in his eyes. His mind jumped back to the night of the Giorango and how perfectly at home she looked driving it. Slowly, he pushed the keys back toward her.

"It's yours," he said, cocking his head at her. Her lips, stained with the blood she'd sipped before mixing it with her drink, parted slightly in surprise.

"What?"

"Keep the car." She blinked at him, her heart skipping a beat.

"I can't—"

"I'm _giving_ it to you," he insisted, his smirk widening. He hadn't expected so much resistance.

Upstairs, Kol rolled his eyes as he flipped a page of the French novel he was reading. Giving expensive gifts was just Klaus' style.

"It's only been a day…" she started, trailing off. They'd really been together for less than twenty-four hours, and he was just going to _give_ her the DB9? It seemed excessive, but she couldn't deny the flutter in her chest at the thought of having it as her own.

"I wanted to give it to you that night," he said evenly, relishing in her reaction. Did she honestly feel guilt about taking one car? Had she not seen his garage?

Her eyes only widened further as she drew in a slow, deep breath.

"At the Giorango?" she asked, as if in a daze. He nodded, resisting the urge to laugh. "That long ago?" He nodded again.

"Rin, take it." Finally, her surprised expression broke into a smile. She snatched the keys up.

"If you _absolutely_ insist," she said, unable to keep the giddiness from her voice. Her boyfriend had just given her an Aston Martin DB9. Was this real life? She wasn't often caught off-guard, but this was just… utterly unexpected. She walked around the counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing close to him for a deep kiss, her mind already racing with ideas for what to hang from the rearview mirror. Did it have Bluetooth? She'd already experienced the turbo engine and luxurious leather upholstery. Thrilled, she broke the kiss and stared up at him.

"How many different ways are you going to come up with to make my day?" she asked, fighting back a smile.

"However many days you give me…" he mumbled into her hair, closing his eyes. Being with her was like being in an altered state of mind now. It was as if in a thousand years, he'd never quite known life like this, and he wanted to drink in every last drop of her presence. To him, she was no longer his equal – she was miles above him. A goddess, maybe. And he felt privileged to be able to get this close to her. Something about it was unnerving, but at the same time it thrilled him.

Rin, meanwhile, had forgotten about how strange it was that he was giving her the DB9 so soon in their relationship. Somehow, it felt like it didn't matter how much time had passed. They were together. It didn't matter if it was for a day, a lifetime, or eternity. It was like time had suspended itself for them. She pressed herself closer against him and felt her heart drop. How did he give her that rush? She couldn't resist feeling like she was on the edge of a cliff with him. This was how she imagined their relationship would always be – looking out over something limitless and pervasive.

"Klaus?" she mumbled, still grinning.

"Hm?"

"Shower," she said, pulling away from him.

"Come with," he replied, reaching for his coffee again.

"Maybe if I hadn't already had one," she countered, sounding sarcastically thoughtful. She took another sip of her own drink. He downed the rest of his and tossed the cup effortlessly into the garbage can over his shoulder as he turned around.

"Damn," he said, hearing her scoff behind him.

Days passed and the two of them spent their evenings either watching movies or staying up until daybreak drinking and talking in the cellar, as they had the night before Rin rejected Damon. Lately, they'd been in the basement far more often than the living room.

"Klaus, when was the last time we slept?" asked Rin, absently stroking his hair. His head was in her lap and she leaned against the stone wall at the end of the cellar, sipping on a bottle of whiskey.

"Don't remember, love," he said, staring up at her as she gazed at the bottles on the rack before them. "Do you want to?"

"I don't get tired anymore," she replied, sounding a bit confused. "Do you ever get tired? After so long… Do you feel it?" He pondered this, as if he hadn't really thought about it before.

"Not quite. It's not really tiredness. More like boredom."

"So that's just how it is after a while?"

"Do you miss sleep?" he asked, already trying to figure out ways to knock her out if she wanted to sleep. Alcohol was a good one, but it took an obscene amount of liquor.

"Sort of. Real sleep. The way we sleep isn't… It's not really sleep," she said, frowning now. He sat up, giving her a look that bordered on concerned. It was true; the way vampires "slept" was more like zoning out enough to quiet thoughts and sensation for a while. It wasn't truly sleeping as much as just avoiding the world for a while. It was mimicry of the human habit.

The look he gave her was one she hadn't seen before. He looked as if he'd done something wrong. It was almost the same expression she'd seen on his face when he'd first kissed her. More accurately, she felt the same thing he'd tried to convey with that kiss – regret, and apology. And desperation for her not to blame him. "It's not your fault," she said, blinking at him. Klaus and regret didn't go well together. He wrapped one hand around hers and slowly drew it to his lips, his eyes hardening again as he kissed the backs of her fingers.

"It's just part of it," he said, staring at her through the dim light. "Maybe I can make it up to you," he said, standing up and pulling her with him. She let him lead her up several flights of stairs until they were in the attic, where the curtains were drawn to let in just a crack of moonlight. It was an especially bright moon that night, which seemed to make everything shimmer slightly.

"What are we doing up here?" she asked, wandering over to the window to look out at the grounds again. It occurred to her that he was probably interested in doing something other than "sleeping", but that wasn't going to happen yet. He appeared behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist.

"Maybe it'll feel more like sleep if you're in bed." He paused, looking out the window over her head. "I'll hold you." Her heart swelled a bit. He came across as more sincere than she gave him credit for, but she knew Klaus too well to get too excited.

"How do I know you're not planning something else?" she asked wryly, glancing at the floor with a tiny smile. Either way, he couldn't force her. But she wanted to hear his response.

Her heart dropped as he pushed her roughly against the window, causing it to shake a bit. From behind her, he kissed her neck lightly and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

"You don't trust me?"

"Are you trying to win my trust right now?" she asked, amused. Sometimes he didn't make sense.

"I'm only asking," he mumbled, trailing several kisses along her jawline. Her head was turned in the opposite direction and she couldn't see his face on her left.

"It isn't working," she said, her heart racing. He laughed a bit and released her. Immediately, she turned around. "Sleep with me," he said, smiling mischievously. "_Just_ sleep." She smirked at him, knowing here was no point in denying she wanted to. And he wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't dare. She sauntered around him and got in bed, letting him follow her.

As promised, his arms stayed securely around her until she fell asleep. And when she woke in the morning, they were still there.


	49. Forever

**AN: It's been a long, grueling ride. This is it, guys. I'm expecting some reviews now. I do have a sequel planned but I have no idea when that sequel will happen. I sincerely hope this has been as wonderful for you all as it has been for me.**

**With love,**

**Lolli**

**Part Forty-Nine**

**Forever**

There was a curious absence of commotion in the Mikaelson home for the weeks that followed. Rin had grown attached to the manor, taking up residence in one of the guest suites. They hadn't heard from Damon or any of the others in a while. Apparently, the group had decided it was best to leave them alone. Bonnie didn't even reply to Rin's texts anymore. Though that annoyed her, it was a small price to pay for the eternity of bliss she expected to have with Klaus.

But there was one thing that still hovered in the back of her mind. Seth. He was still out there, somewhere, and she had a strong suspicion that he still wanted his revenge. Klaus had talked her out of feeling guilty for killing his uncle, but the concern for her well-being still remained. As the days passed, she tried harder and harder to convince herself that she had nothing to worry about. Klaus had compelled him. He was absolutely bound by that. There was nothing he could do to harm her as long as her lover was alive. So why couldn't she shake the fear?

She'd snuck up on him one day, draining him of energy as he watched an old German movie. He groaned, leaning his head back on the couch.

"You could give me some warning, Rin!" he said sarcastically, closing his eyes. She smiled and whirled around the side of the couch, collapsing next to him.

"Or I couldn't." He kissed her forehead.

"Or you couldn't." She laughed.

"Sorry. I love taking you by surprise," she said throatily, looking up at him through her lashes. He smiled again as he pressed his lips against hers.

"What did you do all day?" he asked. They didn't spend all day together anymore. Rin needed space, and sometimes, so did he. She leaned against his shoulder, knowing the answer would surprise him.

"I was just thinking. I might want to go back to school," she said casually. She heard his heart speed up slightly and smirked to herself.

"I went back to school once." She raised a brow at him.

"High school?"

"We didn't have high school then. My father insisted on a private governess. When the University opened, I went to Prague." Her eyes widened slightly.

"You went to _Prague?_ How did I not know that?" He shrugged, grinning subtly. He'd forgotten that the elite institute was even more impressive today than it was then. "What did you study?"

"Chemistry. And Calculus." He glanced down at her, wanting to see her reaction.

"Double major in math and science. Alright, then. I was thinking of English Literature after I graduate." Though he didn't have a great deal of respect for the major, he would keep his mouth shut – it was what she wanted. "In a thousand years, you went to college once?" she added, skeptical.

"God, no. I went to some miniscule liberal arts college on the East Coast for a Theology degree once, and I went to Oxford for Physics in the 1600s. Very challenging program." Once again, Rin was floored. Was there anything he hadn't done?

"I was thinking about Physics too. I forgot that I can do college more than once now."

"You've got all the time in the world, love. Gather up the degrees. We'll put then on the wall." That fragrant kiwi scent was hitting him again and he pulled her closer to him. God, she wanted to pursue an education purely for her own satisfaction. How many women did he know like that? Rebekah had even abandoned the prospect of higher education, and she only went to high school to torture Elena and get closer to Stefan. Rin was perfect. She was smart, and beautiful, and driven.

"Think I should call up the school, then? Tomorrow's Monday…"

"I'm going to miss having you around during the day," he said idly, his heart sinking slightly. He would have to wait for her to get home every single day.

"At least it's not boarding school!" she teased, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek before bouncing off the bed. Her phone was upstairs. When she returned, she was already speaking with someone at the school's attendance office. With everything settled, she curled up next to him again.

"If you wanted to go to boarding school," started Klaus, bringing them back to their previous conversation. "I would buy the school and bring it here." She laughed, sinking down to his leg to lay her head in his lap.

"That completely defeats the purpose of boarding school." He ran a hand through her hair. It fanned out over his legs like silk.

"Pity. You're never getting away from me," he said, smirking down at her.

"I'd never want to," she replied happily.

- Four months later -

It was the day of her high school graduation. With the ceremony over, the lights were finally going out in the stadium. Rin and Klaus walked along the street outside the school. She'd already torn off her dreadful graduation gown and left it in the car, dressed now in her simple, lacy cream dress. Klaus had insisted on walking, however, and she now found herself enjoying the late spring air as the sun went down. Weeping willows cast their long, leafy tendrils over their heads as his hand found hers, wrapping around it tightly. Grinning to herself, she squeezed back.

It wasn't a particularly exciting day for her. She knew it would happen – it was the rest of her life that remained a mystery. That was the exciting part. But still, it felt good to be done with high school. The remainder of her senior year had been a drag. Towards the end, she'd had to cut her social life short to focus on her studies and graduate with a decent GPA. She'd already decided she wasn't going to get into college using compulsion. She wanted to do it right. Otherwise, it just wouldn't bring the same satisfaction.

"Where are we going?" she asked. They'd wandered quite far from the parking lot.

"It's a surprise." When she realized that was the only response she'd get, she raised a brow at him.

"What do you mean, 'surprise'? I thought we were having dinner." He'd made a reservation for the whole family at a local seafood restaurant.

"We are," he said, smiling to himself. "Just not yet."

"Are we just going for a walk?"

"If we were just going for a walk, I'd have told you. What kind of surprise is that?" he said playfully. She laughed and didn't ask any more questions. It wasn't until they were near her old apartment that she began to grow curious again.

"What are we doing here?" she asked as they approached the building from the back. The pond was just ahead of them. The moon was shining brightly, casting a bizarre paleness over his skin that brought out the blue of his eyes. "Klaus?" he didn't reply. He only guided her to the other side of the pond and then looked pensively out at the water. Her heart began to race. She couldn't place the look on his face. It was something between nostalgia and apprehension. Whatever it was, it didn't seem good.

He sighed and turned back to her. He had to do this now. It was either at this very moment, here, or never. Silently, he pondered the last thousand years of his existence and how meaningless they'd been until now. He'd been so misguided. Just one year ago he'd been power-hungry and malicious. And now… he didn't recognize himself.

"Rin," he said, brushing a tendril of ink-black hair from her face. He took a deep, cleansing breath as he prepared to do the one thing that would give away his intentions. The one thing that he could safely say he had not only never done before, but never even considered. Shaking slightly, he reached into his pocket.

As gracefully as he could, he dipped down to one knee.

Time stopped.

Her head spun as she was instantly overcome with the urge to cry. A quivering whisper escaped her lips.

"Oh, my God."

He wished he could have already known her answer as he presented the glistening gold band to her. Adorned with three simple diamonds, its classic beauty struck her. It was perfect. But as he spoke the words, he was completely vulnerable.

"Rin Yamamoto, will you marry me?" He hadn't wanted to say anything extended or elaborate. That wasn't the way he'd pictured it growing up, in his human years. He could have sworn his heart would explode as he waited for her response.

"Yes. Of course," she said, breathless. All the tension drained from his body as he slipped the ring on her finger, standing up to his full stature again. Unable to resist, he grinned.

"Forever?" he asked, smirking slightly.

"Forever," she repeated, leaning up for a kiss.


	50. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It had been a while, but he was ready this time. The girl wasn't going to be rid of him so easily. No, definitely not. He was back, and he had a plan. Years ago, when he'd first attempted to take his revenge, he'd been unprepared. Now, he knew he could not fail.

He'd heard she was engaged to that crazy hybrid she'd been living with. It was inconsequential – he'd learned ways around him now. In fact, he knew how to take him down now. It had taken a lot of research, but if needed to, he could end them both.

Seth finished off his last kill of the night, tossing the girl to the side of the road. He got back in his car. Resolute, he continued driving.

This time, Rin was going to pay.


End file.
